


Please Fix the Story!

by Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action, Comedy, F/M, Fantasy, Female Protagonist, Forgotten Past, Multiple Worlds, Rebirth, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:00:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 95,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23987140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room/pseuds/Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room
Summary: I don't know who I am. I don't know why I'm trapped in this never ending cycle of rebirth.All I know is that I wake up inside the worlds of stories, with a mission to accomplish the author's wishes and stabilize the worlds now headed for destruction. I do my best, hoping, praying that maybe if I complete enough missions, I'll be able to remember my past and return to my home.It's just fixing stories, it should be simple enough.So can someone explain who this random villain is who keeps following me to each world?
Comments: 382
Kudos: 584





	1. Chapter 1

**SLAP!**

A palm struck my cheek, causing a small burst of pain that quickly spread across my face. Falling to the ground, I pressed a hand to the injured spot, trying to look around me and catch my bearings.

_A school cafeteria?_

“Stop bothering Jake!” A teenage girl glared at me, waving a perfectly manicured nail in my face. “It’s so pathetic to watch you pant after him like a dog in heat, when he’s made it clear he doesn’t like you.” Her two friends stood to either side of her, laughing at her words as if it was the funniest thing they had ever heard… and given the character types I suspected them to be, it probably was.

_Let’s see… high school setting, over the top female bullies, extremely handsome guy staring on coldly as a girl is attacked without any plan to help… great, another high school romance drama._

Rolling my eyes, I staggered to my feet, staring at the young woman who had slapped me with a tired gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

_Because you’re a stereotype villain character in a poorly written story._

“Because I admire you.”

“…”

The cafeteria fell into silence, as all the students who had been pretending I didn’t exist turned to stare at me. I glanced around, wishing I had time to accept the details of the story before being dumped here. I didn’t know anyone’s name or character setting yet. It was all too easy to screw the mission up right at the start.

_Better play it safe._

“You what?” The lead bully finally overcame her shock at my out of place statement.

I shrugged off her aggressive stare. “I admire you. You’re strong, attractive, already showing good leadership skills.” I gestured to the two minions beside her. “You know what you want and aren’t afraid to dirty your hands to go after it.”

“…” The three looked even more confused.

“I know that this… Jake… is important to you… I’m sure he was very important to me at one point.” _Whoever he is._ “But I’ve learned that you can’t sacrifice your future just because of a pretty boy with a superiority complex.”

Now, I hadn’t met Jake yet… although I guessed he was the attractive boy watching the fight without a care. But if he was a male lead in a high school drama, it was pretty easy to describe him even sight unseen.

“Don’t insult him! Jake is perfect!” The girl’s gaze wavered between me and the boy across the room. “You’re just mad because he doesn’t love you back.”

I smiled. “You’re right. He doesn’t love me. “ _I’m not the heroine of the story, after all._ “But I’ll grow past it, learn to put childhood crushes behind me, and then move on to better things, like becoming rich and powerful.”

I stepped forward and patted her shoulder in a friendly manner, ignoring her flinch. “I really suggest you do some soul searching and then focus on your future. Like I said, you have a lot of positive traits, and you could go far in life without being shackled by useless feelings for an emotionally repressed adolescent.”

In the stunned silence, I walked past the girl and her group, trying to find a quiet place to get the story’s details before I got into any further trouble. I still had some pain from the earlier slap, but I didn’t hold it against her. Having been forced to live the life of several one-note high school villains multiple times over, I felt nothing but sympathy for the girl.

_After all, nothing ever good comes from falling for the male lead._

I felt a bitter taste in my throat, a dull pain in the back of my head as if my mind was desperate to remember something, but before I could grasp it, it faded away into nothingness.

 _Finally some peace and quiet._ I locked myself into a stall in the girl’s bathroom, and sat down, pulling out my phone and unlocking it with a sigh.

A new message alert flashed into view, causing my sigh to unintentionally become louder and more annoyed.

“Here we go again.” I clicked on the message.

****** NEW WORLD: A WONDERFUL LOVE ******

**This unfinished reverse harem story features Rose, a lovely high school student pursued by three attractive, talented and wealthy young men, Matthew, Adam and Jake. Caught by her wavering feelings for each of them, she is carried along on a whirlwind of romance and adventure.**

“I already have a headache.” I groaned, rubbing my forehead and continuing to read.

**This story was discontinued as the author found it increasingly difficult to maintain the heroine’s relatability and likeableness as a character due to her inability to commit to one romantic partner, stringing all three along throughout the story. Unable to sustain itself without an ending, the world of the story will slowly collapse and be destroyed.**

**The author’s main regret is the establishment of the reverse harem setting, which made the male characters jealous, petty and outright stupid at times. To complete their wish and stabilize this world, please break up the reverse harem, either by finding love for the other male leads or by allowing them to give up on the heroine through any other method.**

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

I laughed bitterly at the final question. “Why do they even bother asking? There’s only ever one option.” Glaring at the single button on the screen labeled “ACCEPT” I slowly reached over and tapped it with my finger.

A rush of memories and knowledge flooded my brain, causing me to lean back with a quiet moan of pain.

“Everything okay in there?” A girl’s concerned voice from the other stall asked.

Trying to ignore the splitting headache, I forced out a few words. “Spicy tacos for dinner.”

“… Good luck.”

“Thanks.” I closed my eyes, sorting through the new information with a familiar feeling of dread.

_I hate this so much._

_______________________________

This was already the twelfth time I had woken up inside a story. Each time was the same. I would be dumped in an unfinished story, trapped until I completed the “mission” sent to me, fulfilling the author’s wish and stabilizing the worlds that were set to collapse without an ending. I wasn’t sure how I became trapped in this cycle of rebirth and world repair. I couldn’t remember anything about my life from before the first story. Was this some sort of purgatory?

_Given all the high school settings and crappy romances I’ve had to live through, maybe this is Hell._

Some things stayed the same. I was always a side character. Sometimes a companion of the hero, or a relative of one of the leads. Sometimes a minor villain or a lackey of the boss villain. But I was never the heroine.

Once I accepted the mission I would receive the memories and emotions of the character whose life I had taken over. The first few times this had happened; it had incapacitated me for days. But now, the crippling pain of taking on a whole life of memories, most of which were fairly tragic, had become commonplace.

 _This isn’t going to be easy._ I opened my eyes slowly, sighing again. Reverse harems were tricky. The male leads were always obsessed with the heroine, and any attempts to sway them towards other things would be seen as “attacking” their relationship. This was made that much harder by my identity.

In this story I was the heroine Rose’s best friend, Blaire, the slightly boring side character who encouraged her on her path to romance at first. If that was all she was, it would be easy enough, but she also had connections to several of the reverse harem members. She was the younger sister of Adam, the oldest of the three males pursuing Rose. The friendly senior stereotype, he was fairly successful at wooing the heroine, although not as favored as Matthew, who was her current boyfriend.

And then of course there was Jake…

Gathering my thoughts, I stepped out of the stall, washing my hands and leaving the bathroom.

“Blaire, wait.” A icy voice called out, stopping me in my tracks. Slowly, I turned to face the owner of that voice, the handsome young man who had watched me be bullied in the cafeteria.

_Speak of the devil… Dangit._

Unfortunately, one of the worst parts of this story was that my character was also the childhood sweetheart of Jake, the cold prince stereotype in the harem. They had grown up together, frequently promising to get married when they “grew up.” Despite his cold personality, he had always been relatively friendly to her, treating her with a special care that the poor side character had thought to be a demonstration of his loving feelings.

That illusion was broken when he actually fell in love with the heroine.

Initially she tried to deny it, tried to follow him around, win his affection back. This backfired, causing him to treat her with disdain and anger rather than his usual calm acceptance from their childhood. As the days passed, she couldn’t ignore the difference in how he treated Rose from how he spoke to her. Forced to realize that the boy she loved was in love with her best friend instead, the character shifted into a villain type, trying to break them apart.

Of course, since this was a high school drama, and she was not the heroine, her plans failed miserably. After hitting rock bottom, she was stopped by Jake while attacking the heroine with a knife at the Spring Formal, falling on her own weapon and being taken to the hospital in critical condition. Her life and death was unknown by the time the story was dropped.

The only light in all this was that I had apparently been dropped in the story fairly early on, when my character had just learned about Jake’s feelings.

Watching the young man approach, I could feel my character’s desperate love and devotion well up inside me, the sadness she felt at his indifferent gaze. Forcing the foreign emotions down, I kept my expression calm and unconcerned, greeting him with a wave.

“Can I help you?”

Jake paused, obviously taken aback by my casual response. His posture was relaxed, showing off his brand name clothes. I took the opportunity to study him. In the story, he was the son of a famous musician, a genius painter himself. He was adored by all the girls in the school, but despite his popularity was unable to gain the affection of the heroine.

_Why are all the male leads in this story rich and handsome? I’d like to lodge a complaint._

“What were you doing in there?”

“…” I raised my eyebrows at his sudden question. “… I was in the bathroom. What do YOU think I was doing?”

“You were in there a long time… were you crying?” Despite the question sounding concerned, there was an almost… satisfied tone to it. I felt a stab of pain in my heart, a vanishing remnant of my character’s despairing feelings.

_Typical male lead, all the love goes to the heroine._

I smiled. “It was in there a while because I was taking a crap.”

“…”

“Any other questions?”

“…”

Ignoring his dumbfounded expression, I waved goodbye and turned to leave, feeling satisfied.

“You need to give up on me.” Jake called out towards my back.

I paused, turning back around. “I have.”

“I don’t believe you! You’re just lying so that I won’t push you away.”

I felt my blood ignite at his smug expression. Even if they weren’t my emotions, there had been a young girl who had her heart broken into pieces by this jerk, pushing her towards a bad ending in this terrible story. If she were still here, this would hurt her deeply. Perhaps she would cry, and beg him to care for her.

_But unfortunately for him… there’s just me left today._

“Okay, buddy,” I stepped closer, cracking my knuckles. “Let me break this down for you: First, I don’t want to date you. You have the emotional availability of a dead slug. What little emotions that have survived in that barren wasteland you call a heart are all obsessed with my best friend.” 

I shrugged, rolling my eyes as his face paled with rage and shock. “Second, your one good point… your face… is far overshadowed by the fact that you have many rabid female fans who want to bully me for the crime of being your childhood friend.”

I gave him a thumbs up. “By the way, strong work on the save there, buddy. I really liked how you stood uselessly off to the side and watched them hit me without doing anything. I’m really glad you value our friendship as much as I do.”

“You’re crazy!” Jake snapped.

“I think this is the most sane I’ve ever been. Read. My. Lips: I don’t like you anymore. Whatever love I had left for you died today as you watched me take that slap.”

He stepped back with a shocked expression. “…Good. I’m glad you’ve given up. Because I… love… Rose.”

“Try to add some confidence to that sentence. You’ve got a lot of competition, buddy. If you’re going to beat out her boyfriend and my brother, you’ll need to work hard!”

Giving him a grin and a wave, I turned around and walked away.

“BLAIRE!”

I ignored him and walked away, thinking over my mission.

I had to break up the reverse harem. Fortunately, I wasn’t given any restrictions. As long as they gave up, whether by finding a new love or not, it would count.

_I don’t really feel like finding that butthole a girlfriend, so let’s just make him give up in tears instead._

I laughed viciously at the thought of him crying before catching myself. Looking around the empty hallway, I relaxed slightly. Maniacal laughter was one of the many bad habits I had picked up after many lifetimes of playing minor villains in bad stories.

_At least no one’s around to witness my shame. If anyone had seen me, they would probably have thought I was insane._

Even as I comforted myself, however, I couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling of someone watching me. But the hallway still looked empty…

_Oh well. Even if someone did see, it’s not like my reputation can get too much worse after desperate chasing around male lead #3 in an attempt to get his love._

Shrugging off my unsettled emotions, I returned to my classroom.

_______________________________

After several hours, I had finally finished out my classes for the day, hating every minute.

_I need a break from these high school worlds. How many times do I have to take calculus?_

As I packed up my books, my phone text alert sounded off. I unlocked it, glancing at a text from the number labeled “Adam.”

 _A text from brother dearest?_ I chuckled grimly. _This should be good._ I opened it up.

“Sal’s Coffee shop. 30 minutes. Bring Rose.”

Adam. My character’s beloved older brother. A handsome, athletic senior student, he had a friendly, easy-going personality, one that made him popular with every social group at the private school he had obtained a scholarship to. Many people admired him, but he was had never been involved in any romantic relationships despite multiple confessions.

Until he saw Rose.

It was love at first sight. He became obsessed, spending every free minute chasing her, trying to win her over. Even at this point in the story, where Rose had become the girlfriend of male lead #1, Michael, he still hadn’t given up. In fact, if anything, he was trying harder now that she was in a relationship.

It was something that had greatly worried her character. She and her brother had been very close, but after he fell in love with Rose, he began using her as a means to see his love more often. Despite her sadness at her brother’s callous treatment of her, she tried hard to support him in his love.

I smiled coldly as I slowly typed out a reply.

“I’ll see you in 45 minutes.”

I didn’t hate Adam’s character. Although he definitely treated his sister poorly, he was the only one to care towards the end when she had been injured, calling the ambulance and staying by her side as she was transported to the hospital.

_He just needs some behavioral correction. If he can improve, I’ll make sure he gets a new love and a happy ending. If not…_

I felt a villainous laugh beginning again, and suppressed it firmly. I was still in class. The timing wasn’t right. But even as I held myself firmly back and began packing my things, an even more evil laugh sounded out just beside me, startling me into jumping and dropping my things on the ground.

“Let me help.” A young man leaned over to pick up my books and school supplies, packing them carefully back into my bag.

“…thanks.” I answered warily, watching him. He was handsome, almost blindingly so, his black hair falling messily without obscuring his regular features, his dark blue eyes holding an amused light as he stared back at me, holding out my bag for me to take back.

_Did I miss another reverse harem member? He doesn’t fit Michael or Adam’s description, and he’s not in my character’s memories. But he really seems too good-looking to be a simple background character…_

“What are you thinking about?” The young man grinned as he leaned against my desk, causing several of the girls in the classroom

I shook my head slowly. “Trying to decide how much of a threat you are to my plans for world domination.” Giving a nonsense answer, I took the bag from him with a shrug and stood up, ready to leave.

“I hope you’ll find that I’m not a threat at all… in fact, I’d love to help you.”

“Said the spider to the fly…”

He laughed at that. “No one ever said the spider and the fly couldn’t work together.”

“Thanks, but I prefer to work alone.” Giving him a bland smile, I turned and left the classroom before he could say anything further.

_What a weird guy, I’d better avoid him_.

I left the school, my thoughts turning to how I could save my character’s brother from the mire of reverse harem life.

_______________________________

I stopped at a store on my way to the coffee shop, humming as I browsed through the aisles. But as I pulled the last of the necessary items off the shelves into my basket, I ran into an unexpected couple.

“BLAIRE!” A young, beautiful girl ran forward, giving me a hug, almost knocking the store basket from my hands. Stabilizing myself, I patted her on the shoulder with my free hand, forcing a friendly grin.

“Hey, Rose.”

Rose, the heroine.

She was beautiful, with perfectly styled brunette curls framing a heart shaped face, and large green eyes that seemed to pull you in. Her figure was petite, she gave off the air of something delicate that needed to be protected at all costs.

_No wonder this poor side character lost. Even if she’s attractive too, standing next to Rose any other girl would seem plain by comparison._

“What are you doing in a pet store?” Rose asked me, frowning.

“Just picking up a few necessary items.”

The teenage boy who had been walking beside her reached over, pulling out a book from my basket with a large dog on the cover. “’How to Train Out Bad Habits in Good Dogs’? Are you trying to train a new puppy?”

Rose hugged the boy’s arm. “That can’t be right, Blaire doesn’t have a dog!” She turned to me with a pouting expression. “Did you buy a puppy and not tell me? I thought we were friends!”

The young man hugged Rose tightly, patting her head. “Don’t be sad! I’ll buy you ten puppies to play with!” He then glared at me. “Why are you bullying Rose like this?”

I stared at the two love birds, my mouth open in shock. _I know that the leads in reverse harems can be a little annoying but this is… impressive._

Of course the brain-deficient offended young man was Michael, or male lead #1, Rose’s current boyfriend.

He had been a flirtatious, overly romantic type, who treated all girls well, but without committing to anything long term. He saved Rose from being mugged in an alleyway, and fell in love with her immediately. Reforming his play-boy ways, he had dedicated all his time and attention on the heroine, finally achieving his goal of being her boyfriend.

And if this had been a regular romance story, then that would be the end. But this was a reverse harem. So despite his initial success, he constantly had to guard against the advances of my brother and childhood friend, who competed for Rose’s affection constantly.

Strangely enough, even though Rose seemed to encourage this behavior, Michael never blamed her for her actions, pinning all the guilt on the heads of his two competitors instead.

As I struggled with how to respond in a civilized way, Rose pushed Michael away, blushing prettily.

“I’m sure Blaire didn’t mean to hurt my feelings! She’s my best friend! She just made a mistake, and now that she’s sorry, of course I’ll forgive her!”

“…” _When did I say I was sorry?_

“I don’t have a puppy.”

“…”

“…”

The two stared at me in shock, confused as I didn’t go along with their bizarre narrative. Finally Michael spoke up, holding up the book in his hands as if it were evidence of wrongdoing.

“Then why are you buying this training material?”

I snatched it back, stuffing it into my basket with a smile. “I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you.”

“…”

A loud sniffing noise caught my attention. To my shock and horror, Rose was crying, tears running down her face without disrupting her beautiful complexion.

“Why are you acting like this? Is it because of Jake’s…” She trailed off as Michael’s face became gloomy, his hand tightening around her waist in a possessive manner. “I know you love him, but I swear, I never encouraged him to like me!” Even as she cried she stared at me intently, as if looking for something. Her eyes held a light of anticipation, as if she were hoping for me to be hurt by her seemingly caring and friendly words.

Did she _enjoy_ the fact that her friend’s childhood crush had chosen her instead?

_Ugh, this heroine IS the worst._

I smiled carelessly, shrugging. “Don’t worry Rose, it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Her face blanched. “It… it doesn’t?”

“Nope! That kind of worthless man, I’m better off without him!”

“… you don’t have to lie to make me feel better. I know how much he’s hurt you. After all, you always thought you two would get married someday.” Rose continued to watch me intently as she twisted the knife, making me feel tired.

 _Just how much does this girl want to see me cry?_ On anther day I might have stuck around to mess with the two of them. But I didn’t have time. I simply patted her on the back, heading towards the checkout counter.

“Don’t worry. I’ll never let any crap sack like Jake get between our beautiful…” _Enmity._ “Friendship.”

“Where are you going?”

I didn’t turned back at her concerned words, holding up the basket in my hands as an answer. 

“Behavior adjustment training.”

_______________________________

“Where’s Rose?” My brother greeted me with a grumpy expression as I sat down across from him in the coffee shop.

“It’s nice to see you too, brother dear.” I sipped on my coffee calmly, ignoring his deathly glare. The caramel cappuccino was extremely sweet, offsetting the sour looks being sent my way from the other side of the table. I closed my eyes, enjoying the quiet jazz music being played in the shop, savoring the quick moment of peace and quiet that had eluded me since waking up in this world.

“Where is Rose, Blaire?”

I sighed. _So much for peace and quiet._ “I ran into her. But she was with Michael.” _Ha, I’m even telling the truth._ “So it wasn’t like I could invite her out to meet up with another guy.” _Not that I would have even if she wasn’t, but still…_

Adam frowned, his gaze studying me as if assessing whether or not I was lying to him. “Fine.” He started pushing back his chair, as if getting ready to leave.

“Wait.” I reached out and grabbed his wrist. “We need to talk.”

“What do you want?” Despite his gruff tone, Adam’s voice still carried some affection. At least he wasn’t openly hostile to me like the other reverse harem members.

_There might be some hope for this one!_

“I think you need to move on.” Seeing his worsening frown, I hurried to explain. “You are a wonderful guy, and any girl would be lucky to have you, but the one you like has a boyfriend right now.”

“So?”

“So, it would be okay if you just liked her, but you spend all your time plotting and scheming on how to steal her away like she’s a toy that another kid snatched from you.” I frowned. “With mom and dad being gone on business all the time.” _Thanks, crappy teen drama setting._ “You’re all the family I have. But now whenever we talk all you want to talk about is Rose. And even when you want to meet up, it’s to see Rose, not me. It’s like you only care about whether or not I can help you chase a girl.”

I felt tears fill my eyes. The former character’s emotions were still there. The sadness, the fear of abandonment. Her childhood friend and crush openly mocked her and avoided her. Her brother used her. And her best friend… well she just stood by, rubbing salt in the wound. _No wonder this girl became twisted._

Adam’s gaze softened, and he reached out to squeeze her hand. “Hey. No matter what, you’re still my sister, and I’ve got your back. Okay?”

“You mean it?”

“I do. I promise, from here on out, I’ll do my best to be a better brother.”

_Got him._

“Great!” I blinked away the tears and grinned. “So let the rehabilitation begin!”

“…” Adam looked confused. “Rehabilitation?”

“You’ve developed an obsession, and have deviated from the correct path. You used to be a very successful student and athlete, a good brother. You used to have lots of friends and interests, but now… you spend all your time and energy chasing a girl. But with my help, we’ll drag you back into a normal healthy young man who _doesn’t_ spend all his time plotting to steal another guy’s girlfriend!”

“Wait, I’m not giving up on Rose!” He smiled, seeming to look right through me. “She’s so wonderful, and beautiful and kind and perfect….”

**Psst!**

I took out a spray bottle and sprayed water on his face.

Caught by surprise, Adam flinched back, wiping the droplets with his hand.

“Why did you do that?”

I held up the bottle with a grin. “It’s a spray bottle full of water! It’s for behavior correction! All the books recommend it!”

“… What books?!”

“Well, they didn’t have brother training books, so I had to go to the pet store.” I shrugged. “But these came highly recommended from the animal trainers there.”

“I’m not a dog!”

“But you do need help, and that’s what I’m here to do!” I set the spray bottle down. “So what are your plans for tomorrow?”

Adam eyes me and the bottle warily. “Well, tomorrow I have basketball practice, then classes… I wrote a love letter which I’ll have you put in Rose’s desk…”

**PSST! PSST!**

I sprayed him again. “No! Bad!”

“It’s just a letter!”

**psst!**

I stared sadly down at the bottle in my hand. “I should have bought a bigger spray bottle.”

“Excuse me, miss?” A lovely coffee shop worker stopped by our table, an embarrassed look on her face. She glanced over at my brother, her eyes widening slightly at his handsome features, before focusing back on me with a professional smile. “You can’t spray that in here.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean up the mess immediately, and if my brother needs more correction, I’ll do it outside instead.”

“…” She stared at me in confusion for a moment, obviously wanting to ask but afraid to.

“He spends all his time plotting on how to steal another guy’s girlfriend…”

“Blaire!” I ignored my brother’s horrified shriek, and continued.

“… and only calls me or spends time with me as a means to get closer to another girl.”

“…” Slowly she reached out and took the bottle from my hands, her professional smile still in place. “I’ll help you refill this.” She shot a cold look at my brother, who shrunk back in his chair. “It sounds like you’ll need it.”

“Thanks!” I turned back to face my brother’s wary gaze. “Don’t worry, by the time your training is complete, you’ll no longer be a brain dead reverse harem secondary male lead, and once again be a bright young man with a good future.” I took back my now filled spray bottle with a grateful smile at the coffee shop girl and shook it slightly. “Just leave it all to me!”

_______________________________

“So, how goes it?”

I looked up from my phone, which I had been playing with at my desk, and into the smiling face of the young man whose name wasn’t in the story.

“How goes what?”

“Your plans for world domination of course!” He pulled a chair over, leaning on my desk. “You know, the ones I promised to help you with?”

“I don’t remember accepting that offer.” I looked down at my phone, which currently had the mission screen pulled up. Where the acceptance button had once been there was now a progress bar, with only a third of the space filled in.

**“37 percent complete”**

To be honest, it was more than I had expected for a single day of work. My brother had responded well to our talk, and only got sprayed twice more that evening when he tried to convince me to bring flowers to Rose the next day. I only had to convince two of the three male leads to move on, and I couldn’t imagine that either Michael or Jake had undergone any change of heart, so it must be that my brother was almost completely rehabilitated…

With a sigh, I recognized a creeping figure hanging in our classroom doorway, clutching a letter.

 _He doesn’t even go to this school._ I reached into my bag and pulled out the spray bottle, heading resolutely towards my wayward brother.

“Adam.”

He looked up from where he was crouching in the doorway with a scared expression. “Blaire! You got here faster than I expected!”

“…So you’re not here to see me?”

“Ummmm…”

**PSST!**

**“** Ahh! No more spraying! I’m sorry!”

“Go back to your own school!” I sprayed his fleeing back a few times for good measure, groaning with frustration.

_This is 37 percent complete? The program must be broken._

“Blaire, can we talk?” Jake had approached sometime during my confrontation with my brother, a serious expression on his face.

I stifled the desire to spray him in the face as well. “No.”

“But, I said I want to talk to you…” he frowned. “You’ve never ignored me like this before…”

“Go chase Rose, or flex in front of a mirror, or whatever it is that you do these days.” I waved the spray bottle in my hand. “I promise you from the bottom of my heart that I have no feelings left for you, and I’d prefer to not talk to you again.” I smiled. “Wow, even just saying it out loud again makes me feel happy.” I patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks for that.”

And with that I turned back towards the classroom.

“He’s still staring at you.” The boy now had his head resting on my desk, looking up at me with a peaceful smile.

I sat down, pushing his head off my desk with a book. “Who?”

“The delicate artist boy… did you break his heart?” He looked super pleased at the thought.

“Not that I’m aware of. He’s madly in love with my best friend, though. Maybe Rose gave him the cold shoulder?”

“…” He gave me a disbelieving expression.

“What?”

“Nothing. If you want to ignore him, I can follow that.” He raised an eyebrow. “If you want him gotten rid of, that could be arranged too.”

“What are you, a mafia boss?”

“Nope, just your lowly minion, here to support you on your quest for world domination.”

His smile was flawless, his gaze clear as if he was just stating simple facts, but I had the strange feeling that behind his honest expression he was secretly laughing.

“Who are…”

“Who is your friend, Blaire?” Before I could finish my question, a bright cheerful voice interrupted me. Rose took her seat beside me, turning towards the strange boy with a shy smile, reaching out her hand to shake.

“Hi, I’m Rose, I’m Blaire’s best friend.” She fluttered her eyelashes, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. I leaned back in my seat, entertained.

_Look at the boy-catching skills of the reverse harem protagonist! I feel like I should applaud._

The handsome young man did not seem to be similarly impressed. His face, which had held a mischievous grin, became cold. He simply nodded, ignoring the hand offered up to him, and pulled his chair back to his own desk, pulling out his phone to idly scroll.

“Why is he so mean!” Rose’s eyes filled with tears, and she turned to me and grabbed my hand. “I was just saying hello!”

_I’m just as stumped as you are, lady. Aren’t you supposed to be the irresistible heroine?_

“It’s okay Rose, just ignore him.”

“No! He can’t treat people like this!” She pouted, her eyes staring obsessively at him. “I’ll become his friend, and teach him to be a nicer person.”

“… Won’t Michael mind if you want to devote all your time and energy to another guy?”

Rose shook her head. “I’m just trying to be friends with him, why would Michael care?”

“…” My head started hurting again. I glanced over at the young man who looked back at me with a panicked expression.

 _Help me._ He mouthed out, his eyes darting to Rose before looking away with a shudder.

I shrugged helplessly, laughing as he pretended to fall down in despair on his desk.

_What an interesting character. Maybe he was in an unfinished draft?_

“Blaire… BLAIRE!” Rose’s shout broke me out of my reverie.

“What’s up?”

“Why were you ignoring me?! I was talking about something important!”

_Oh no, is she going to cry again?_

Before I could figure out what to say, an angry yell called out.

“WHY ARE YOU BULLYING ROSE AGAIN?!” Michael stormed into the class, pulling Rose out of her desk and into his arms, glaring at me.

_Are you kidding me? He isn’t even in this class! Where are the teachers! Class was supposed to start ten minutes ago!_

I glanced over at the boy who was now laughing quietly at his desk at the situation, which made me feel even more annoyed.

“I wasn’t bullying Rose. She was just upset because that boy over there refused to be her friend.” I pointed at the no longer laughing young man, feeling smug.

_Don’t think you can escape all the drama!_

Michael looked over, his furious expression fading into one of shock. “Liam?”

_Liam? I don’t remember a Liam in the story._

The boy in question smiled grimly. “Long time no see, brother.”

_Brother?!_

“Brother? I didn’t know you had a brother!” Rose called out what I was thinking, which was the first useful thing she had achieved since I arrived in this world.

Michael frowned. “He’s my half brother. A bastard. He’s been in school overseas so as not to upset my mother.”

_Wow, way to spurt out someone’s back-story, dude. Not cool._

“Is there any more of our family dirty laundry you want to air out?” Liam was smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve got plenty of time.”

“Why are you here?”

“Dad called me back. Said I should be near family.”

“I don’t want you here!”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Was I asking you for permission?”

I looked back and forth between the two, absolutely confused. A missing half-brother? _This seems way too important of a plot point to not be included in the mission summary! Has the story changed? Or has something been hidden from me intentionally?_

I frowned. I still didn’t know why I traveled between story worlds like this. I had no idea if the entity that sent me missions to complete the authors’ wishes was a friend or foe. I had never encountered a situation where the plot was hidden before, and it made me nervous.

_I should probably stay away from Liam._

Michael hugged Rose closer. “Stay away from my girlfriend!”

“Oh buddy, wouldn’t touch her with a ten foot pole.” He turned towards me and winked. “I’ve got high standards.”

“…” We all stared at him with shock.

“What’s wrong with Rose?” Michael demanded.

“Do you _want_ me to like your girlfriend?”

“No, but…”

“Then don’t worry.” Liam scooted his chair back closer to my desk. “So about my position as your minion…”

I shook my head. “I have _high standards._ ”

“Ouch.” He clutched his chest with a grin. “But I bring so much to the table!”

“Anything other than good looks and sarcasm?”

“So you think I’m good looking?” His smile widened. “I’m making progress.”

“Not really. Who ever heard of a good-looking minion? That won’t help with world domination at all.”

“You’re right…” He sighed dramatically. “Then what about a good looking boyfriend?”

“… that escalated quickly.”

Rose, who had been watching our exchange with an increasingly poor expression, finally burst out. “You can’t like her!”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Michael, Liam and I all stared at the heroine in shock. Finally Liam, his smile completely gone, turned towards her.

“And why is that?”

“Because she’s in love with Jake!” She smiled triumphantly. “She’s been in love with him since she was a kid.”

“So?”

Rose was taken aback. “What do you mean, so?”

“She’s not married to Jake. She’s not even dating him. Why can’t I like her?”

“… You’re wasting your time!”

Liam turned towards me. “Am I wasting my time?”

I shrugged. “Probably. But not because I’m in love with Jake.”

“Are you in love with anyone right now?”

 _Never._ I shuddered. “Nope.”

“Do you have a problem with me liking you?”

“Not really, as long as you don’t upset my plans or blame me for not returning your feelings.”

Liam grinned and held out his hand to shake. “Then it’s settled. I’ll have a hopeless crush on you and be your tireless minion. And you can go ahead and just focus on taking over the world.”

I stared at it for a moment, before shaking his hand gingerly. “I feel like I’ve been conned.”

“Don’t worry, it will pass.”

“BLAIRE! Why are you being so nice to him!” Rose was crying for the third time this morning. I began to worry about her hydration, and pulled a water bottle (initially kept for the purpose of refilling the brother behavior modification tool) and set it on her desk.

Fortunately, at that time, the teacher _finally_ showed up and began class, forcing Michael to return and preventing further discussion.

My phone buzzed constantly in my pocket throughout the lecture. Glancing over, Rose was typing furiously, looking over at me to see if I was responding to her texts.

 _The teachers in this world are seriously useless._ I reached my pocket and turned off my phone, placing my head down on the desk and taking a nap.

_______________________________

“Hey, sleeping beauty, class is over.” I was woken up to the sight of the overly bright grin of Liam.

I groaned, putting my head back down. “I don’t want to be in this world anymore.”

Liam patted my head. “Hang in there. You’re doing great.”

“…Thanks.”

“Can I have your number?”

“Why?”

“I wouldn’t be a good minion we didn’t have a way to communicate.”

 _Sure, why not?_ With a sigh I turned my phone on, ignoring the 18 texts from Rose, and muttered my number. He called it quickly, and I saved the contact in my phone as “the devil.”

Liam chuckled, and I saw him watching my screen with an amused look. “I’m flattered.”

“Only you would be.”

“Want to know what I saved your contact as?”

“Nope.”

“Spoilsport.”

We walked out of the classroom, confronted immediately by the sight of Rose leaning on Jake’s chest complaining with tears in her eyes. His arm was loosely draped over her shoulders, a gently smile on his face. A few of our classmates sent sympathetic glances my way. In the past, common events like this had sent my character into a spiral of rage, or she would run away crying.

I laughed. 

Liam looked over at the two with a sneer. “That’s who I’m supposed to be worried about? He would never be able to make it to minion status.”

“Most people don’t aim for that, you know.”

“Most people are wrong.”

“…” I paused, turning towards Liam with a frown. “I don’t know if you’re joking or not about liking me, it’s pretty sudden. If you are serious, you probably shouldn’t.”

_I wasn’t going to stay in this world long._

Liam shrugged. “I’m not joking, although I realize it’s a bit fast. I can’t really explain it. Everything about your weird personality is very attractive to me. We must be soul mates.”

“…Don’t regret it.”

“Of course not.”

We went to lunch, sitting down at the cafeteria with poorly warmed food. As we ate, I felt a strange silence settle over the room, and multiple gazes turn my way.

“Hey, Blaire.” It was the stereotypical bully girl from yesterday. I smiled at her, now knowing her name, which had come with my character’s memories.

“Hey Katy!”

The girl shifted in place, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sorry I slapped you yesterday. “

 _Character development? In this reverse harem novel?!_ “Don’t worry about it. Just buy me coffee sometime.”

“…You were right. I’m going to focus on my future and become rich and powerful!”

“Good for you.”

Her eyes lit up. “And then Jake will crawl back to me, begging me to date him and I’ll turn HIM down this time!” She laughed in a stereotypical villain fashion, walking away with a swagger.

“…” _Her character’s gone in a strange direction._

“Her laugh isn’t nearly as good as yours.” Liam commented, eating his fries with a resigned expression.

I spit out the water in my mouth. “…You heard?” _I KNEW someone was watching me that day!_ “Forget everything you saw and heard.”

He grinned down at his plate. “Yes Ma’am.”

_______________________________

The remainder of the day passed quickly. I caught my brother sneaking in during a study hall and sprayed him, calling his friends who dragged him back to class, heartlessly ignoring his screams of protest. Rose sent hurt glances towards me throughout the rest of classes, but with Liam nearby didn’t confront me directly. As the final bell rang I packed my bag quickly and left school, hoping to avoid another tearful encounter with the heroine.

“Blaire.”

_COME ON! Why me?!!!_

“What do you want, Jake?”

Jake frowned at my callous tone. “Why didn’t you answer any of my texts?”

“I blocked your number. Any other questions?”

“…” He stared at me intently. “Are you dating that new kid?”

I sighed. “It’s seriously none of your business.”

“I’ve heard rumors, he’s not a good person. You should stay away from him.”

“Wow, with advice coming from such a trustworthy source, I should definitely believe it!” I rolled my eyes, but as I tried to push past him, Jake reached out, grabbing my wrist.

“Stop pretending, Blaire.” His eyes were strangely intense as he stared down at me. “I know you still like me, and you’re putting up a front. But you aren’t fooling anyone.”

**BAM!**

I kicked his feet out from under him, smiling as he hit the ground on his back with a groan.

“Don’t touch me.” I stared at him coldly. “Don’t talk to me. Don’t look at me. Let’s just both pretend the other doesn’t exist. Keep bothering me, and I’ll break your leg next time.”

“…” A twisted grin distorted his face, and a quiet chuckle escaped him, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to rise.

“You okay?” Liam walked up, interrupted my thoughts on whether or not to stomp on Jake’s face next.

“I’m fine. He’s just delusional.”

“Cool.” He nodded with understanding. “Want to grab coffee?”

“SHE LIKES ME!” Jake yelled angrily.

Liam grinned at him, his eyes cold. “I like your optimism. Why don’t you keep going down this path, and see where you end up?”

I tapped his arm. “Are you threatening him?”

“Me?” He blinked innocently the ice from his gaze gone as if it had never existed. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“… sure.”

We left Jake behind in the dirt, neither of us looking back.

_______________________________

“So does Jake like you now?” My brother slouched grumpily in his chair, staring at Liam and I from across the table. “He’s basically been a stalker these past few weeks.”

I sighed, sipping at my coffee. “It’s not that he likes me. He just always taken my feelings for granted since we were kids. It was kind of a constant ego boost to him. Now that’s he’s lost it, he feels entitled to get it back.”

“Shouldn’t you be happy? I mean, you’ve always been trying to get his attention for years.”

“I stopped liking him for a while now.” I leaned back, staring at my cup. “He’s not worth the trouble.”

“Well, I guess you have this guy now.” Adam pointed at Liam sitting next to me with a frown. “What are you again? Her friend? Boyfriend?”

Liam smiled calmly. “Her minion.”

“…You’re weird.”

I ignored their exchange. We’d been meeting here regularly for the past few weeks, and Adam and Liam argued like this every single time. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

“Nothing much. Classes, practice. We have a big game coming up, so I’ll be putting in some extra work with the guys.”

“No plans to woo Rose?” I raised an eyebrow.

Adam shuddered. “And get sprayed again?” He sighed loudly. “No thanks, it’s too much trouble.”

“I knew the books were right!”

“Shut up, it wasn’t your stupid pet training methods!”

“Really? Because I’d say the results speak for themselves!”

“Here’s your coffee.” The coffee shop girl from before set a cup in front of him. Stepping back, she looked over at me. “How’s he doing?”

“Much better, I barely have to spray him at all anymore.”

“Great!” She smiled warmly at Adam. “Good for you.”

“Um… Thanks.” He blushed slightly at her smile, before flinching and giving me and the spray bottle on the table an anxious side glance.

“Don’t worry. As long as you’re not scheming and obsessing over Rose, I won’t spray you.”

I pulled my phone, checking the mission progress.

**“87% Complete”**

_The past four weeks haven’t been in vain._ Adam was being successfully trained out of his reverse harem habits, while Jake…

Had gone in a weird direction.

The loss of my character’s affection had definitely impacted him more than expected. He still paid attention to Rose, but a inordinate amount of his time and energy had been put into trying to convince me to say that I still loved him.

I rubbed my head.

 _Not much longer._ I was almost done with this story world. Surprisingly, I wasn’t as excited about that as I thought I would be.

_It’s all his fault._

I shot a glare over at Liam, who smiled happily back.

He had spent every day at my side. Bringing lunch, buying coffee, carrying my bag. Any push back was met with a friendly grin and the response “this is my job as your minion.” He cheerfully followed me around, helping me avoid Rose, Michael and Jake, spraying Adam when he snuck in while I was in the bathroom. He was always there, talking, joking, laughing… just being _there._

Without me realizing it, he had quickly become a part of my daily life.

_But it was a life I was almost done with._

“So are you two going to the spring formal?” Adam spoke up, shaking me from my depressed thoughts.

“Spring formal?” I felt an alarm bell ring out in my head. It was the setting for my character’s final conflict. In the original story, she had slowly become more angry and obsessed, showing up to the dance with a knife and attacking Rose, injuring herself in the process and almost dying.

I felt uneasy but I wasn’t sure why. The story had changed. It wasn’t like I was going to barge in with a knife and attack Rose… but I couldn’t shake an unsettled feeling as if something bad was going to happen.

“I don’t know.” I finally answered, my hand clutching my phone so tightly the knuckles turned white. “I haven’t decided.”

“I’ll go if she goes.” Liam answered with a careless shrug.

We finished our coffee, and I smiled to myself as Adam went back quietly to get the phone number of the coffee shop girl. I glanced down at the updated number on my phone.

**“93% complete”**

“What are you thinking about?” Liam asked.

_I’m leaving soon._

“Nothing.” I put my phone away. “Let’s go.”

_______________________________

“Will you go to the Spring Formal with me?”

I stared in consternation at Jake, who had blocked me on my way into class. “Are you high?”

“You begged me to ask you two months ago.” His brows lowered in an irritated expression. “So I’m doing you a favor and asking you… just like you wanted.”

“Well, although I appreciate the honest sharing of your delusions, I’ll have to decline.”

“You’re lying!”

I paused, rubbing my forehead and looking up at his furious expression. “Jake…”

“No! Stop pretending! You love me! You told me you would always love me!”

“I also told you I was going to be a dinosaur when I grew up. People change.” I pushed him away as he stepped too close. “I’m not lying, not pretending, and not trying to get your attention. I don’t like you. Anyways, you like someone else, remember?”

A suffocating atmosphere filled the hallway as Jake loomed over me. His jaw clenched, his fists held tightly at his side, he seemed completely wound as if ready to burst out at any moment.

“Blaire!” Liam walked up, holding out coffee and a bagel. “I brought you breakfast!”

Jake glared at him. “We’re having a private conversation. Leave.”

_Aren’t you the one who cornered me in the hallway? And now it’s “private?”_

Liam shrugged. “I can’t let her reject you on an empty stomach.”

“It’s fine.” I took the coffee from him. “I was already done, anyways.” 

We stepped around Jake and headed into the classroom.

“What are you thinking about?” Liam whispered.

“Thinking that the Spring Formal may be the opportunity that I was looking for.”

I answered honestly out of reflex. I only had a few percentage left to fill. As Jake became obsessed with the lost of his childhood romance, his position as a reverse harem member had become progressively less sturdy. Even with the dance coming up, which in the story all three young men had tried extensively to convince Rose to allow them to escort her, he was more focused on having me “admit” my feelings for him.

_If I go to the dance, it might be the final push Jake needs to completely step out of the reverse harem._

“Can I go with you?” Liam asked hopefully, “I’m happy to help with any schemes and plots you might have!”

“Who says I have schemes and plots? Maybe I’m just going there to have fun.”

He grinned. “That’s fine too.”

“Then sure. Let’s go scheme and plot together at the Spring Formal…”

“How could you be so cruel?!”

I groaned at the familiar voice. _Doesn’t Rose ever get tired of crying?_

“What did I do now?” I looked over at Liam, who looked just as confused as me.

“It’s hard to say with her.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You could have stepped on an ant. You could have looked at her without smiling enough… it’s a Tuesday…there’s plenty of things it could be.”

Rose’s face turned red as she glared at me. “You know exactly what you did, Blaire! You led poor Jake on for so long, and now that he’s bared his heart to you, you’ve humiliated him and now you’re going to the dance with that… that…” She pointed at Liam, who looked amused.

“Sounds like…” He offered helpfully.

“JERK!”

“Oof, didn’t stick the landing on that insult.” I muttered.

“I’d give it a 4.5 out of 10, but you have to admire the effort.”

“Stop laughing! You really hurt Jake!” Rose was practically shouting now, drawing attention from the entire class who watched on with glee. “He’s been nothing but good to you, and you treat him like garbage!”

I stared up at the ceiling. “There’s just… so much wrong… with everything you just said.”

Liam patted my shoulder. “It’s okay, I’ll take care of it.” Shaking his head at Rose, he continued. “Now see, you broke her with your idiocy! I’ll try to explain, and I’ll speak slowly and clearly: Blaire liked Jake, Jake liked you. Blaire stopped liking Jake, now Jake is whining like a small child. No cruelty, just sweet, sweet justice.”

“They would have gotten together if it weren’t for you!” Rose now turned her rage at Liam.

“As much as I would LOVE to take credit for that, pretty sure Jake burned those bridges himself.” He turned towards me with an expectant look. “How’d I do?”

I smiled and patted his head. “Good job.”

“Yes! I got complimented!” We took our seats, leaving Rose standing there in shock.

“This… isn’t right.” I heard her mutter softly. “Why is everything so wrong?”

 _Looks like the destruction of the reverse harem is bothering the heroine._ I watched her with interest, but she quietly took her seat, not looking or speaking to me for the rest of the day.

“Are we plotting against her too?” Liam whispered as I watched her pack up her things and leave.

“Not really.”

“…shame.”

_______________________________

The days passed on, the Spring Formal was upon us. Rose still avoided me, sticking mostly by Michael’s side. She had tried several times to talk to Jake and Adam, but my brother was now traumatized and fled at the sight of her, and Jake only paid her the minimum amount of attention, spending most of his time staring at me.

“Are you sure you don’t want him ‘taken care of’?” Liam asked once.

I shook my head. “It won’t matter soon enough.”

“…That’s not ominous at all.”

The night of the dance I dressed in a black gown, ignoring the yellow dress from the memories. It seemed bad luck to wear the dress the original character had almost died in. Adam smiled as I came downstairs, giving me a hug.

“You look great. Sorry Mom and Dad aren’t here to make a fuss and take pictures.”

“It’s probably better that way. Are you going to crash the party?”

Adam shuddered. “No… _she’s_ there. Besides.” He gave a sheepish grin. “I kind of have a date tonight.”

“Did you finally ask out Jessica?” I asked, thinking of the girl from the coffee shop who had given him her number.

“I did.” He gave me another hug. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For pulling me back. You were right, before. I WAS obsessed with winning that girl over. I wasn’t acting like myself. But now, I’m much happier.”

“I’m glad.” I blinked back tears in my eyes. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Silly girl, you’re just going to a dance. I’ll see you later tonight.” He went to ruffle my hair, but looking at the carefully constructed hairstyle, second guessed the motion, pinching my cheek instead.

 _But I won’t see you tonight. Not if this plan works._ I held my worries inside and waved goodbye, stepping outside where a nervous looking Liam paced.

“I got you flowers.” He held them out, almost smashing them in my face in his hurry, before pulling back. “Sorry, didn’t mean to attack you with them… I mean…”

I took them with a smile. “Let’s go to the dance.”

_______________________________

As we stepped into the large decorated room, I looked around, keeping an eye out for the key characters. It was difficult to spot them, everywhere in the room were our classmates, talking, dancing, laughing. Everyone was in constant motion, the sound in the room from the blaring music to the constant chatter almost overwhelming.

“Jake is sulking in the corner.” Liam spoke next to my ear, his warm breath startling me into taking a step back. I looked in the direction he pointed, and soon spotted him, standing with his arms crossed, glaring at anyone who came close.

“Just ignore him for now.” I answered back, pulling him forward.

As Liam and I walked towards the punch table, we spotted Michael, who was standing nearby with a anxious expression. Our eyes met and to my surprise he stepped closer.

“Have you seen her?”

“Rose?” I shook my head. “Not yet.”

“She said she was looking for you!” Michael looked ready to pull his hair out with worry. “She seemed really… upset tonight. Do you know what’s going on?”

“No. We really haven’t spoken these last few days.”

“What kind of friend are you?” He snarled, only to be pushed back by Liam with a smile.

“A thirsty one, so please excuse us, brother dear, while we grab some punch.” He led me to the refreshments, muttering. “So intense. Bad for the blood pressure.”

“Where do you think…?” Before I could finish my question, a girl spoke into a microphone on the stage, interrupting the music and causing all the conversations to grind to a halt.

“There you are, Blaire!” Rose was wearing a lovely pink dress, her hair piled stylishly on her head, but on her face was an ugly, twisted expression, as if she was overcome by hatred. Her eyes had a fanatical light, as she stared down at me, her hand clenching the microphone tightly.

“I just want to thank you on this special night.” She smiled, but the expression was wrong. “I thought once upon a time that we were friends, but little did I know that you were always working against me. You pretended to like me, all the while SCHEMING behind my back to ruin my life!”

Ignoring the whispers that filled the room, she stepped off the stage, still holding the microphone, and approached me slowly. Liam stepped forward to stand between us, only to be pushed back by me with a smile.

“It’s okay.”

“PAY ATTENTION!” Rose screamed as I turned back towards her. “I didn’t notice at first, when Adam started visiting me less. I figured he was busy with a school project, or a big game… but then he stopped coming altogether! I tried to call him and he blocked my number!”

She continued forward, her eyes locked onto my own. “Then there was Jake. He was always so nice… so loyal… but then he started caring less and less. Even tonight he hasn’t said hello to me once!” She laughed bitterly. “Both of these events have one thing in common: you!”

Rose pointed at me. “You convinced your brother to stop seeing me! You seduced Jake away! You were so jealous of me, so unwilling to watch me be happy, that you had to RUIN it all!”

“…” I shook my head slowly. “Aren’t you dating Michael? What are you so upset about?”

“… That has nothing to do with this! They belonged TO ME! They are supposed to adore ME. Love ME!” Her eyes were wide and filled with rage, she was now only a few steps away. “THEY ARE MINE AND YOU STOLE THEM FROM ME!”

“Look, I didn’t steal anything…”

“You stole my happiness away, and now you have to pay the price.” Rose whispered, pulling out a knife.

“BLAIRE!” I heard Liam scream, but Rose had already leapt forward, the blade in her hand flashing in the overhead lights.

I threw myself to the side, but felt a burning pain in my shoulder as the knife cut deep into skin and muscle. I groaned with pain, landing on the ground, blood seeping between my fingers.

Rose stumbled, the knife still firmly in her hand, and turned towards me once more. Letting out a scream of rage, she brought the knife down again…

Only to be stopped by Liam, who stared at her with an icy expression.

“That’s enough.”

Another hand grabbed the knife from her, stepping back with a frown. Jake. “I never belonged to you, Rose. How could you hurt Blaire like this? I thought you two were friends?!”

Michael stared in shock at the three of us, before stepping back, shaking his head back in forth in a desperate movement. “No, no… this isn’t right. My beautiful Rose isn’t like this! She’s perfect and kind and lovely… she would never hurt someone…”

“Michael…”

He backed away further. “No! This is a fake Rose! I have to go find the real one!” With a desperate scream, he ran out, unwilling to face the gruesome scene left behind.

One of the worthless teachers finally had called the police, and Liam led me over to the chairs on the side of the room, pressing a wad of napkins to the wound in my arm.

“Don’t worry, the ambulance will be here soon. A few stitches and you’ll be good as new!” He smiled at me, the same grin as always, but I saw the fear in his eyes, the shaking in the hands that pressed against my shoulder. I patted him on the head with my uninjured arm.

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t like this scheme, Blaire.” He whispered. “Let’s not do this kind again. You can take over the world all you want, but don’t… don’t get hurt.”

I laughed at that. “Sounds good. No getting hurt in the world domination plan from here on out.”

As I spoke, I felt a vibration in the pocket of my gown. I reached down and pulled it out, looking at the blinking mission screen with a quiet sigh.

“ **100% complete.**

****** You have finished the mission! ******

**Stay in this world?**

**YES/NO**

I stared at the two options, my heart beating quickly in my chest. I had always clicked yes without hesitation, moving on to the next world immediately, hoping that this time would be the last. This time would be the time when I remember who I was, and why I was reborn over and over in these stories.

I thought about my brother, excited about his first date that night. About Katy, the school bully, who was now on her way to starting up a business empire while still in high school.

About Liam.

I still didn’t know why such an important character was edited out of the story summary. I don’t know why he cared so much, treated me so well. Even now the thought of leaving him, of not seeing him every day hurt.

But this wasn’t my home.

I looked over at Liam one last time, a sad smile stretching across my face. He seemed to notice the strangeness of it, smiling back with a small hint of panic in his voice.

“Blaire? What’s wrong?”

“Thank you for everything. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your feelings. Try to be happy.”

“Why are you talking like this? It’s just a cut, you’re acting like you’re about to die…” Tears were in his eyes, but he barely blinked, refusing to look away, as if terrified I would disappear at any moment.

“Goodbye, Liam.”

I clicked the “No.” button on the screen, and felt the world dissolve around me.

“BLAIRE!”

In the nothingness between worlds, there was just me. No people, no sounds, no light. I felt dampness on my face, but I ignored it.

_It was time to move on to the next world._

I landed on the ground, groaning as I felt pain from multiple injuries.

_I had just gotten stabbed in the last world, why am I even worse off in this one?!_

**Grrrr**

At the loud growl, I looked around, feeling tired.

_Great. A post apocalyptic story with zombies. Just freaking great. I already hate this._

______________________________  
_

“She’s gone.” 

Liam stared at the blood soaked napkin in his hand, blinking back tears as a wealth of information and understanding entered his mind, his gaze becoming firm and clear. He chuckled sadly, his hand slowly closing over the stained cloth. A girl sat next to him, a girl with an unchanged appearance, wearing the same black dress, with an identical wound on her shoulder…

_But it wasn’t her._

“Liam?” She asked quietly, sounding confused. Liam wasn’t surprised. The memories in her head probably didn’t make much sense to her right now. He stood up, passing a clean napkin on to her.

“I called your brother, he’ll be here shortly. Make sure to hold pressure on your wound.”

“Oh… okay.” She seemed as if she was about to stop him, but paused, as if unable to remember why she would.

Liam walked away.

His phone rang out with an alert. Pulling it up, a wry smile tugged at his lips as he studied the last text on the phone from a contact labeled “Future Wife.”

“ **Sorry.”**

“So cruel.” He whispered. “But I forgive you.”

Another beep sounded, a new text arriving, this time from a contact labeled “Unknown.” Slowly, he read the message. ****

“ **She doesn’t remember you.”**

“That’s fair.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t remember her until it was too late.” He looked around. “She did fix this world beautifully though.”

**“She’ll never succeed. No one ever has. She’s lucky she hasn’t been destroyed yet.”**

“It was never her fault… she’s just had to pay the price for my mistake.” He looked up at the decorated ceiling with a long sigh. “But I’ve found her now, that’s what’s important. And now that I have, I won’t lose her again.”

**“You’ll forget her again in the next world. You can’t bring your memories with you.”**

“If that’s what it take to stay by her side, then that’s what I’ll do.” He grinned. “Besides, I didn’t do too badly this time, even without memories.”

**“You’re both crazy.”**

“You’re probably right. But enough, chit chat, I have a wife to chase.” He looked down at his phone, laughing. “Zombies, huh? I bet she’ll hate that.”


	2. Zombie Apocalypse

**GRRRR!**

I looked around at my surroundings as I arrived in the new world, trying to catch my bearings.

_Broken down buildings, abandoned cars, no people around and zombies about to attack… yep, definitely a post-apocalyptic setting._

I was in the middle of a city road, surrounded on all sides by tall, buildings with shattered windows, exposed beams and hanging wires. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I felt the unsettling atmosphere slowly settle over me. There was a strange silence to the world, the absence of people talking, cars honking, electronics beeping. There was just the wind, my breathing and silence…

**GRRR.**

…and the growls of the twenty or so zombies slowly approaching me.

I climbed up on an abandoned car, trying to catch my bearings. The movement tore at the four or five wounds that were scattered over my body, forcing out a groan of pain.

_Multiple bruises, possible broken ribs, several cuts to arms and legs that still have broken bits of glass in them… it’s like I’ve been in a bar brawl._

It was always frustrating before I could accept the memories of my character and the world setting. I had no idea where I was, how I had gotten here, and more importantly what my mission was.

_First things first, I need something to defend myself with._ To my pleasant surprise, a quick survey of the area revealed a backpack that looked full and a sword resting on the ground nearby.

I jumped down, biting my lip to hold back a cry of pain at the motion, and quickly pulled the backpack on, unsheathing the sword and looking at it. It looked like something out of a museum, with an ornate gold plated hilt and a long, slightly curved blade. The weight and length were just at the limit of what this current body could bear, and I gave the sword a few practice swings with a grin.

_Wonder how my character got a hold of a sword… this body doesn’t seem like one that practices fencing._

Putting my questions out of my mind, I held up my sword, centering my thoughts and bringing my heart into focus, just as I had trained in the past.

Fortunately, one of the previous story worlds I had lived through since the day I woke up without memories had been an assassin novel. The mission had been difficult; protecting the assassin’s guild from destruction after the hero left them behind to chase the heroine on an adventure. The author had regretted destroying his beloved family and guild members, and abandoned the novel. So I was tasked with spending years training weapons skills in the group, finally fighting against the rogue gang that attacked and defending the hero’s family in his place. Completing that mission had taken seven years in total, but on the bright side I had gained a good amount of fighting experience.

I closed my hand over the familiar weight of a sword in my palm. _Time to start a new world._ At the thought I felt a pang of loneliness and couldn’t help but close my eyes and smile bitterly. _How is it that I’ve spent years and years in some of these worlds, and they still didn’t manage to move my heart as much as four weeks spent in a silly high school romance novel world?_

“Liam.” I whispered quietly, opening my eyes with a sigh. He had so easily bypassed my defenses, making me care about him to the point that I had hesitated about moving on to the next world.

_I have to keep moving forward, it’s my only hope of recovering my memories and going home._

**Grrrr.**

Thinking about the world and people I had left behind had depressed my mood, but thankfully, an outlet for my emotions had just presented itself on a silver platter.

“Time for some emotional therapy… by killing zombies.” With a smile I put away all stray thoughts and feelings, suppressed any sensation of pain or fear. There was only me, my sword, and the targets to destroy.

I was ready.

Silent, I sprang forward, my sword raised.

My first slash cut off the nearest zombies arm, the sword slicing through the rotten meat and brittle bones with ease.

**Thud.**

The arm hit the ground with a dull sound. The zombie’s wide, lidless eyes stared down at the detached limb for a few moments, as if confused, before turning back towards me with renewed energy.

**GRRR.**

_Right, undead. Cutting off limbs won’t do much. So let’s try decapitation._

Ducking under the zombie’s remaining arm, I straightened up behind the monster and aimed this time for the neck.

This time both head and body fell to the ground, and became still.

_Success!_

The rotten blood and flesh dripped onto my hand from the stained blade. Disgusted, I swung the sword back and forth, which only served to scatter the remnants in the air, releasing a horrific smell. I gagged, forcing myself to breathe through my mouth and leaping at the nearest zombie with a snarl.

“This is so gross!”

**SLICE!** Two zombies fell to the ground on either side of me.

“I hate this world so much!”

**Swish! Slice! THUD!**

“WHAT IF THERE’S NO RUNNING WATER AND I CAN’T SHOWER?!!!”

A zombie’s growl cut off suddenly as the head flew out into the distance.

“I don’t even know what the mission is, but it already SUCKS!”

Letting out my frustration, I took out the remaining zombies, standing in place in a puddle of goo, my breaths coming in an out with a harsh gasping sound as my out of shape body tried to catch up with the practiced movements I had just put it through. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, breathing caused sharp pains as my broken ribs protested and made their presence known.

I was injured, I was tired, and I was covered in zombie guts.

_I want to go home._

But I didn’t know where home was.

Feeling sorry for myself, I sat down on the ground, pulling out my phone and checking the mission.

“This better be a quick one.”

As I pulled up the familiar screen the first thing I noticed was a notification.

**** **CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!******

“… Pardon?”

**As you continue to complete world missions in an efficient and satisfactory manner, you will gain experience and level up the mission system, allowing you additional benefits and assistance.**

A small experience bar glowed at the bottom of the notification, with only a sliver of the space filled in and a large number “2” next to it.

“It took TWELVE worlds for me to get to level 2?!” I fought the desire to throw my phone with rage, and continued to read.

**With your new level, you have unlocked key character descriptions and world map in the mission app! As well as… other benefits!**

“…” I stared at the screen silently. _Why do I feel like this thing is just messing with me now?I’m just going to ignore this. It’s too rage inducing._

I clicked through the message and moved on to the mission description.

****** NEW WORLD: WAR OF THE UNDEAD ******

**This post-apocalyptic zombie infested story follows Eric, a young man with a military background and the will to fight as he survives the end of the world. By his side is the love of his life Hannah, who holds his hand through the uneasy tides of crumbling social structures, horrifying monsters and evil villains.**

**Complaints about the story were rampant as the heroine of the novel was deemed “useless” with no discernable skills, often getting kidnapped and wreaking havoc for Eric to clean up after. Unable to balance the two main leads, the author finally gave up and never finished the story, leading to the world’s instability and eventual destruction.**

**The Author’s wish, and your mission, consists of two parts: First, help the heroine develop into a well-rounded character, able to stand on her own two feet instead of a two dimensional plot device designed to give the hero problems to solve. Second, help humanity establish a good foundation for a new society, leaving the story on a high note with hope for defending against the zombies.**

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

I glared at my screen, desperately wishing for a “decline” option.

_HELP HUMANITY ESTABLISH A FOUNDATION?!!! HOW LONG IS THAT GOING TO TAKE??_

I let out a sad moan, leaning against the broken car and staring up at the dull grey sky with a hopeless gaze.

_How long do I have to live in this world and go without a hot shower?_

I clicked Accept, my finger stabbing the screen angrily, accomplishing nothing other than a sore fingertip. The memories of my character rushed in, the splitting pain and confusion passing quickly as I accepted them with ease.

“… Well, I guess it could be worse.”

I was a small side character in this story, the spoiled princess of the hero’s group that caused trouble. Upon joining up with their team, she would constantly complain, wishing for luxury and pampering in a world where survival was the only priority. She was tolerated as she had brought with her a large bag of supplies from her family’s mansion, as well as an antique sword that she had taken off the wall as she left, but the goodwill of the hero and his friends quickly ran dry in the face of her spoiled personality and increasingly ridiculous demands.

Finally after several years and multiple fights, her character was kidnapped along with Hannah, the heroine. The hero was forced to choose one to save, and selected his loved one without hesitation. Even at the end her character believed she was too important to be killed, threatening her captors right up until they threw her into a pit of zombies.

It seemed as if I had started this world right after my character had abandoned her first team. They had gotten into a fight with a roaming bandit group, (which explained my current injuries) during which my character had escaped, leaving her teammates behind.

As the story moved on she would then meet up with the hero and his camp, joining and staying alongside them until her untimely demise.

_Unfortunately it looks like one of the hero’s companions was a friend of this character, which will make it difficult to explain the large difference in the personality…_ Rubbing my headthoughtfully as I considered the problem, I finally gave up and sighed. _Oh well, the apocalypse changes people, they’ll just have to accept it._

The phone in my hand vibrated once more, with surprise I glanced down at the new alert.

**With your level up, you are able to change your character’s name to one of your choosing. All characters’ memories will be adjusted accordingly.**

****** Select a character name? ******

I struggled internally with a sudden childish desire to name my character “ass-licker” or something equally stupid, just for the chance to hear everyone have to say it seriously.

But if I was going to spend a few years in this world… that would get old fast.

I slowly typed out a name, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

“Blaire.”

_My favorite world so far._ A memory I wanted to keep with me.

_I wonder what happened to Liam after I left?_ Before I could consider that thought too closely, a panicked scream broke the silence of the city.

“HELP!”

Following the distressed sounds, I entered a nearby building. In a large open area filled with broken concrete and other debris, a single young man was cornered by three zombies. He held a metal bar in his hands, which he was swinging wildly, barely keeping the monsters at bay. They were slowly crowding him into a corner, but seemed unable to reach any closer. The man continued swinging, all the while a constant stream of half-intelligible cursing and complaints escaping from his mouth.

“Damned traitor…. Make him regret… snap his neck… no that’s too good for him! … boiling… oil… funnel…!”

_For all that this is a life threatening situation, why do I get the feeling he seems… like he’s having fun?_

Shaking off the wayward thought, I rushed in, sword drawn, striking the zombies down with a few swings. As their heads tumbled to the ground, I kneeled down, using their shredded clothes to carefully clean the blade. As I looked up, I saw the startled face of the man I saved, and felt a moment of panic.

“Liam?”

After staring silently a few moments, I shook my head sadly

_It wasn’t him._

He was older, taller, with a slimmer build. His hair, though a similar dark shade, was longer and roughly cut. His face was not the one in my memories, with a slimmer nose and a more pointed chin, but his eyes… they were the exact same shade of dark blue as Liam in the previous world. It was the eyes that had initially caused me to call out, the amused light in them so familiar it was as if he were still right in front of me.

But he wasn’t. I had left that world, and therefore Liam, behind.

“I’m sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”

The man shook his head, his face still pale with shock. “Don’t be sorry! You saved my life!” He walked forward, holding out a trembling hand to shake. “I’m so glad you showed up when you did!”

I took his hand, trying to smile comfortingly. “Happy to help. Are you going to be okay? How’d you end up here all alone?”

“I got separated from my… friends.” He looked at me closely. “You’re such a strong person, I would have died without you! I know I’m weaker than you, and might be a burden but… would you… be willing to let me tag along until we get to camp?”

_Poor guy, he still looks terrified._ I patted him on the shoulder. “Of course.”

He sighed with relief. “Thank you. You’re my hero!”

I laughed at that. “Just call me Blaire.”

“I’m William! But you can call me Liam.”

“Liam?” I paused, unable to hold back from asking. “I’m sorry… but… have we met before?”

“Hmm… Unfortunately no, I would have definitely remembered you. But perhaps we were fated to meet?” His eyes were clear as he spoke, without any recognition. I frowned.

It can’t be the same person… but _he’s just as weird as Liam from the other world, that’s for sure._ Unable to shake the sense of familiarity, I sheathed my sword and gestured for him to follow.

“Let’s go.”

“Of course, savior of my life! I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth!”

“… Just to the camp is fine.”

As we stepped out into the street we were immediately confronted by the sight of a large group of tough-looking, scarred men, each carrying multiple weapons. As I tensed up, my hand on my sword hilt, the closest man in the group spotted us, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

“BOSS! You’re still alive!”

I glanced back at Liam, who looked mildly annoyed.

“Boss! We killed the traitor and brought back the weapons he stole from you!”

Tossing out a duffel bag, the zipper was open enough to spot multiple guns, grenades and other deadly weapons.

“…”

“…”

We all stared at the bag in silence for a few moments.

“Boss?” I finally asked.

He gave an awkward grin. “It’s just a friendly nickname.”

“So I’m guessing you won’t need my protection on the way to the nearest camp.” Feeling mildly disappointed, I stepped away, preparing to leave. Only to pause at Liam’s panicked shout.

“Wait, no!” He stepped closer, waving his arms frantically. “I definitely need your protection! These guys are just joking! I’m actually quite a weakling, and desperately need someone strong like you to look after me.”

“What are you saying boss?” One of the goons interrupted. “You’re probably the most deadly man alive…”

**THUD**

A stone flew through the air, striking the man between the eyes, and knocking him to the ground.

“ _Shut. Up.”_ Liam hissed,

“OUCH! That hurt!”

“Now you tell this beautiful woman who saved my life and has promised to protect me how weak and helpless I am!”

The large muscular men all turned towards me, terror in their eyes.

“Boss is the weakest!”

“Definitely weak!”

“He needs protection!”

“He’d die without you!”

“…” I gave Liam a look. _Do you really think I’d buy this?_

His response was a shameless smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t drag you down! I’ll cook for you!”

“…”

“Run errands!”

“…”

“Do housework!”

I finally spoke up. “Really? You’d do all that?”

“Yes, I…”

“You can’t expect the Boss to act like a servant!!” One of the men burst out angrily, only to fly back as another stone struck him in the face. Another burly, scarred thug took his place.

“Ahem. What my friend meant to say is, Boss is highly skilled in all of these tasks. He’s great husband material!”

Liam gave the man a thumbs up. “Shark, you’re a smart fellow. You’ve just been promoted to my new right hand man!”

“Thanks Boss!”

“Now take care of things while my life savior and hopefully future wife escorts me back!” He grabbed the duffel bag, offering the contents to me before choosing a small handgun and a grenade for himself and handing the rest to Shark.

The man took the remaining weapons with a terrifying smile. “Definitely!” With a sharp whistle, he and the other men quickly turned around and ran away, dragging the injured man who had protested Liam taking on cleaning duties behind them.

“…” I watched this all with confusion. _How did the title of future wife get added on to a simple request to escort him to camp?_ I almost told him to go away, but hesitated. Faced with his almost puppy-like look of anticipation I swallowed the words I was about to say, helplessly turning back in the direction of the hero’s camp. “Let’s go.”

__________________________

We traveled together for a few days, and I found Liam to be an entertaining companion. At each stop he would light a fire, cook a meal, and arrange the camp. Any offers to help were met with stiff resistance.

“You’re the one doing me the favor.” He answered once with a smile. “I’m just trying to support you!”

“…”

“You know…” He added nervously. “If you think that I’m useful… I’d be happy to work for you full time in exchange for your protection.”

“…”

“For example, if we got married it would be super convenient to bring me along as your support husband.”

I sighed quietly, rubbing my head. “You know we’ve only known each other three days right?”

“The great thing about that concern is that it becomes less relevant the longer we’re together!” He grinned briefly, before putting on a serious expression.

“You asked me once if we met before… and even though I know we haven’t I can’t shake the feeling that I know you. As if there’s a voice shouting from the depths of my soul, telling me that if I lose you I’ll regret it forever, but if I can stay by your side I’ll be the happiest man alive.”

I couldn’t help but shake my head. _He reminds me so much of Liam spouting his minion nonsense. But if he’s the same person… how did he follow me here?_

“By the way… if you thought that sounded poetic, I would like to add ‘well-spoken’ and ‘artistic’ to the lists of attractive traits that I bring to the table as a potential husband or even just a good lackey.”

“…” _Let’s just ignore him and get to camp as soon as possible._

____________________________

We arrived at the camp. Fortunately our path had been fairly clear, we met very few zombies on our way. As we walked up to the camp entrance, and attractive man and woman met us, their expressions somewhat guarded.

“Who are you and why are you here?” The man called out.

I paused a good distance away to avoid seeming to threatening, and studied him closely. He looked to be in his mid twenties, with close-cropped hair and classically handsome features. He had a gun at his hip, and a knife close to his hand, obviously ready to respond to any danger.

_Smells like a male lead._

I held up my hands, showing that they were empty of weapons and tried to appear friendly.

“I’m Blaire. I’ve recently split from another roaming group and was hoping to join your camp here.” I carefully put my backpack of supplies on the ground and opened it, showing off the contents. “I’ll share some of my supplies. I’m also decent with a sword, and can add to your fighting force.”

The man looked both me and the bag over carefully. “I’m Eric.” He finally spoke up, his expression slightly more relaxed. He pointed at Liam who still stood next to me. “Who’s your friend?”

“I’m Liam, her lackey!” He announced before I could say something. “Also hopeful suitor.”

“Are you joining as well?”

“Of course!”

I glanced over at him. “What about your gang?”

“What gang?”

“…”

“… Those punks you met earlier? They’ll be fine.”

I sighed and turned back towards the hero of the story. “So what’s your answer?”

He watched us both, obviously thinking carefully. “On a trial basis.” He turned around, carefully protecting the delicate young woman next to him. She was petite, barely coming up to Eric’s shoulder, and had a fair complexion already turning red in the sun. Her eyes were large with an innocent light in them, as she stared at me with a nervous look.

_This must be Hannah, our heroine. She definitely seems… easy to kidnap. So helping her become a well-rounded character is mission number one, huh?_ I followed behind them, my mind racing with plans to help turn her into a force to be reckoned with in this post-apocalyptic wasteland.

_This is going to be fun!_ I rubbed my hands together, a villainous laugh escaping me.

Liam poked my arm, whispering. “Blaire, although I personally think your evil laugh is wonderful, and I could listen to it all day… I feel like I should warn you that you’re scaring the young girl over there.”

I paused, catching Hannah’s terrified expression, and tried to give her a reassuring smile. In response her face turned even more pale under her sunburn, and she hugged Eric tightly as if wanting to escape.

“Was my smile that terrifying?” I leaned over towards Liam and asked quietly.

“I’m the wrong person to ask. I find your strength and ability to intimidate the masses vastly reassuring.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

I followed the lead characters into the camp silently, Liam following close behind me.

_It was time to save the story._

_And… hopefully find a way to shower._


	3. Zombie Apocalypse

“Why’d they let YOU in?”

An angry shout stopped us in our tracks as we reached the center of the camp.

I paused, smiling. _Ah, the nostalgic smell of unnecessary internal strife. NOW it feels like a proper post apocalyptic story._ I raised a hand in greeting. “Hey there, kind and pleasant person, I’m Blaire!”

“Don’t pretend like we’re friends! You shouldn’t be here!” The angry young man stepped closer, allowing me to get a better look at his face. His copper colored hair framed sharp, angular features, his brown eyes practically burning with rage as he tried his best to stare a hole through me. 

_He seems familiar._

Searching my character’s memories, I was finally able to place him. Jason, the hero’s best friend, who had gone to high school with my character. Before I could celebrate placing his identity, however, I felt a surge of deep terror flood through me. My heart beat wildly in my chest, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. I frowned, pushing back the feeling that weren’t my own, but those from my character.

_It’s rare for emotions from the character to be this strong, even in the last world I was able to easily put away any feelings of the character I’ve taken over. Why is she so scared? I don’t see anything in her memories that would warrant her being frightened of Jason. And why is he so antagonistic towards me?_

As I stood there, trying to comb through what information my character knew about him, he had continued to rant. “Eric, what were you thinking accepting people like her?!”

Eric sent Hannah away with a smile, before turning towards his friend with a tired expression. “They have extra supplies and skills, both of which we’re in desperate need of.”

“We don’t need HER!”

As they argued, Liam walked up to me, pulling an apple from his bag. “Want a snack?”

“Sure, these idiots might take a while, I’d hate to get hypoglycemic while they argue.” Before I could say anything further, he pulled out a knife and silently started cutting the peel off.

“What are you doing?”

“Peeling the apple for you.”

“Why?”

“…” He paused, looking honestly confused. “I’m not sure, but I feel like this would make you happy.”

I couldn’t help but shake my head in amazement. “I love apples, but I can’t stand the peel. How did you know?”

“Really?” He grinned, continuing to peel. “My support husband instincts must be kicking in.”

“You’re very… optimistic.”

“Thanks!”

I sighed. “Don’t get attached, Liam. It won’t end well.” I thought of the heart wrenching pain I had felt when pressing “No” in the last world. _That was just after 4 weeks. If I have to stay here years…_

“It’s okay. I already count myself fortunate being your lackey.” His smile was bright, but his attention to the apple never wavered. “As long as you live well. I think I could die happy.”

I shuddered. The habit was just too strong. _A character casually mentioning dying in a story…such a red flag. “_ Try not to die. Happy or otherwise.”

“Yes ma’am.” He saluted, his silly expression making me feel less tense. 

“Blaire! I’m talking to you!” Jason had finished arguing with Eric while Liam and I chatted and was obviously still furious.

I felt the same edge of fear from the character at the sight of him again, and pushed it back down with irritation.

“That must be so exhausting to be so angry all the time.” I muttered quietly as I watched him approach.

Liam nodded. “No kidding. I think I’ll need a nap just from watching him perform.”

Jason stopped just a few feet away, sneering. “I don’t know what lies you sold Eric earlier, but don’t’ forget, I know the real you! You’re a rich brat without any skills! You’re deadweight to any group, just a worthless bit….ARGH!” He flew backwards as a mostly-peeled apple struck him in the mouth, splitting his lip.

“Oops. Sorry did that hit you?” Liam watched him coldly, not sounding sorry at all. “My hands get slippery when I hear pure stupid.”

“Is that why people around you tend to get hit with flying projectiles often?

“It’s a curse…” He paused, then looked mortified. “THAT WAS MY LAST APPLE!”

“It’s okay.”

“WHY DIDN’T I USE A STONE?” He groaned into his hands. “That idiot wasn’t worth losing your snack! Now you’re going to go hungry!”

“I’m fine…” I tried to comfort him, but he had already pulled out a walkie-talkie and was growling instructions in some sort of code.

Jason, on the other hand, was now pointing in shock at Liam. “You! You’re William the destroyer!”

“…” I glanced over at the man who was still panicking over his lack of snack options to offer me.

“What’s the leader of the Blood Wolves doing here?” Jason was now looking nervous, clambering to his feet and keeping a good distance from us both

Liam ignored him, continuing to talk on his walkie talkie. Shaking my head, I stepped in between him. “He’s with me. Do you really want to argue now about whether or not we should be here?”

“But… but…”

“Jason!” Eric had returned, a grim look on his face. “I told you to leave them alone. We’ll go out hunting for supplies tomorrow, they can prove their worth then.”

Jason’s expression showed his clear unwillingness, but he slowly nodded. “Sure.” Glancing towards me, he sneered. “Then I guess tomorrow we’ll see just how useless you are.”

“Did I step on your dog or something? Seriously, try to reign in the hostility there, buddy.” With that, I turned and walked towards the empty tent Eric had pointed out earlier. 

Despite my casual tone and outer appearance, my hands were clenched at my sides, the fingernails digging into my palms to keep my hands from shaking. My back was soaked with sweat, an uncontrollable reaction from the character I had become.

_What is going on?_ It had been a long timesince I had been unable to fully control my character’s emotions like this. I swallowed uncomfortably. The sensation was unpleasant, a sense of incongruity between body and soul that I couldn’t quite overcome. It reminded me too much of the first mission I had undergone, the worst time of my life that I could still remember.

Waking up without memories, with no idea of who I was or why I was there, thrust into a romantic drama where my mission was to fulfill the role of a foolish, calculating villainous side character. Overwhelmed by intense love for the male lead and mind-numbing hatred for his heroine, I lost myself in despair. Later, I would learn to maintain my sense of identity. Even if I didn’t know who I was, I at least knew who I _wasn’t._

And I wasn’t this character. A spoiled, angry young woman who thought the world revolved around her.

_So why can’t I remember clearly?_ Not just Jason, even the events surrounding my character’s kidnapping and death were vague.

_Something’s wrong with this world._

Sitting down with a sigh, I pulled out my phone.

“Let’s see how helpful this new ‘character description’ function is.” I typed in Jason’s name. After a moment to process, the phone’s screen filled with text.

**Jason, the hero’s best friend and this world’s hopeless secondary male lead. In the story, he is shown to be in love with Hannah, but hides his feelings for fear of hurting his friends. He often supports her from behind, helping the hero rescue her during her frequent misadventures and kidnappings. Despite his devoted acts, Hannah remains blissfully unaware of his feelings, and treats him as a friend.**

_Nothing to explain why my character is scared of him._ I grinned maliciously as I re-read the part about his unrequited love. “No wonder he’s so high strung. If he were nicer I might even feel sorry for him.”

Unable to control my curiosity, I typed in a second name.

“William.”

**Character unknown.**

“Hmm. Let’s try ‘Liam.’”

**Character unknown.**

“Blood Wolves.”

**The most notorious and highly skilled gang in this story’s world, they often sell their services as mercenaries, and are considered a major power in the post-apocalyptic society.**

I stared at the screen, even more confused. _Such an important group, but the leader isn’t mentioned? Who is Liam?_

But no matter how much I searched, there were no answers.

_____________________________

Shortly later, Liam called me out. The smell of freshly cooked food hastened my steps, and I sat at a table across from Hannah, ignoring her wide-eyed look of fear at my approach.

“The others are checking the perimeter. Here, I made you dinner!” Liam placed a bowl in front of both of us with a proud grin. It was filled with a stew, with vegetables and chicken. Hannah stared at the food suspiciously, although I didn’t see anything wrong with the food. Carefully, I lifted a spoonful up to my mouth, my eyes widening with shock.

“It’s delicious!” I took another few bites before pausing. “Where did you get the ingredients?”

Liam sat down next to me, peeling an apple with an affectionate grin. “My friends happened to have gathered some extra supplies and brought them over.”

“… You sent the Blood Wolves on a snack run?”

“What were they supposed to do? Let you go hungry?” He raised an eyebrow. “They wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I don’t know how you manage to sound so supportive and yet so… ominous at the same time.”

“It’s one of my many talents, I’m so glad you noticed!”

Hannah watched our exchange back and forth, before looking down at the food once more. She seemed very hungry, but she still hadn’t made any moves towards eating.

“You should try it, it tastes really good!” As I coaxed the girl sitting across from me, I saw Liam beaming with pride.

“…” She stared silently at us both for a long few moments before nodding and taking a bite, her hands shaking and almost spilling the stew from her spoon. As she swallowed the food however, her eyes filled with tears.

_Why do all the heroine’s I meet cry so easily? Maybe the problem is with me? Do I just not cry enough?_

“It tastes so good!” She ate quickly, blinking to keep back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

_Oh… so… happy tears? That’s refreshing._ I patted her on the shoulder gently. “Not had a lot of hot meals lately, huh?”

Hannah nodded at my sympathetic words. “Yeah, Eric and James are too busy with security and supply runs. And I…” Her words trailed off.

_Why hello there, mission opportunity!_ I rejoiced inwardly but kept a gentle look on my face. “You what?”

“I’m weak… I can’t fight. I can’t even cook.” She looked up at me her eyes still wet with unshed tears. “I wish I could be scary like you…”

_… Scary?_

Liam laughed at my dumbfounded expression, quickly silencing himself as I turned to glare at him. Looking back over at Hannah, I tried to smile comfortingly, the expression stiffening as a look of terror flashed across her face.

“You want to be a well-rounded useful person? I can help you.” _Not like I have a choice._

“Really?” Hannah clasped her hands together in front of her. She still looked frightened, but excitement was clearly pushing back her fear. “I really want to be helpful!”

“Really. Just come watch me tomorrow during the outing. I’ll show you what I can do. From there, we’ll come up with a plan.”

She now was smiling brightly, giving off the impression of a small, adorable animal that should be protected. “I promise I’ll work hard, Boss!”

_She trusts me so quickly… no wonder she kept getting kidnapped._

“Wait... Did you just call me Boss…?”

“One day, I pray I can be just as terrifying as you!” Hannah cheered excitedly. 

“…”

_I feel like her motivation has gone in a weird direction._

As I struggled on how to answer her, Liam nodded solemnly. “It’s good to have goals, but you shouldn’t aim too high.” He handed me the freshly peeled apple, and continued. “No one’s as terrifying as your Boss. But with hard work and effort, one day, you can reach ‘lackey status’ like me!”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” The two high-fived as I watched on silently, feeling tired.

“… I’m going to bed.”

_____________________________

The next morning, we all headed out, running into a group of zombies, almost immediately. We halted a good distance away to discuss a plan.

“Will it be okay?” Hannah’s face looked extremely nervous as she looked at the zombies in the distance.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” Jason smiled at Hannah, his eyes full of tender emotion. “I promise, as long as I have breath in my body, no zombie will get near you.”

I still felt a small thread of fear running through me as I looked at him, but fortunately, it was much easier to control now. I rolled my eyes at his words. _Didn’t the character summary say hehides his feelings? How is this subtle at all?_

Eric stared at his friend silently for a moment, and then patted Hannah’s head with a sigh. “Make sure to stay away from the fight.” Loading up a handgun, he glanced over at me. “Are you coming?”

“Ha, bet you’re gonna run and hide, huh?” Jason glared at me, his face looking extremely punchable, forcing me to hold back. 

I sighed, admiring my self –restraint. “I’ll take the ten on the right.”

“There’s only fifteen!”

“Yeah, so we’ll split it by skill.” I turned back and grinned. “Ten for me, four for Eric and one for you.”

Pulling out my sword, I headed over, ignoring his stuttered complaints.

**GRRRR.**

The closest of the zombies was reaching out towards my head, several fingers missing from its hands, its half rotten jaw open, ready to bite.

I lopped it head off, knocking the body away from me.

_IT SMELLS SO BAD!!!_ I had only been able to wash in cold water from a basin. I still desperately missed hot showers.

“Go Boss!”

“Yeah! Kill the zombies! You’re the best!”

Shouts from behind me caught my attention. After killing several more zombies I glanced over, giving out a loud sigh at the sight.

Liam and Hannah cheered off to the side, jumping up and down with excitement.

“Zombies don’t stand a chance against her!”

“Yeah! They’re toast!”

_… I’m just going to ignore them for now._

In the corner of my eye I saw Jason struggling to defeat his first zombie, waving a metal bat but missing several passes. He backed up, putting some distance between him and his foe, and turned to stare longingly at Hannah for a few moments, before looking over to glare at me as he realized who she was cheering for. I smiled and winked, watching with interest as his face turned even redder with rage.

Feeling an undeniable urge to taunt, I called out to him as I continued to decapitate zombies.

“Don’t lose focus, little Jason! Or do you need me to help you with your one zombie too?”

“SHUT UP!”

“Try not to bully him, please.” Eric called out as he calmly dodged attacks, occasional shots ringing out. Each was a perfect headshot, as expected of the hero of an action novel. “Jason is sensitive to criticism.”

I nodded, kicking a zombie head into the air and batting it away with my sword, watching it sail away with interest. “Sorry, I’ll try harder to support his emotional well being.”

“Thanks!”

Having finished off our respective zombies, Eric and I high fived before heading back towards the rest of the group.

“Guys… I’m still fighting here!” Jason’s helpless cries caused me to pause.

I glanced at Eric “Will he be okay?”

“Yeah, he’s just milking it so Heather will pay more attention to him.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

Eric shrugged. “Not really, but he doesn’t step over the line and extra hands are necessary, so I just ignore it.”

_Is this a… reasonable male lead? Could it be possible?_

“Okay, then.” I raised a hand, not turning around. “Good luck Jason, we believe in you!”

Eric grinned and called out behind him. “See you back in camp, buddy!”

“Boss!” Hannah ran up with a grin. “That was amazing!”

Liam stepped closer, handing me a thermos with hot tea. “I told you she was awesome! She saved my life, you know.”

I ignored him, turning my attention to Hannah. _Time to make some progress on this mission_. “Did what you see today inspire you?”

“Yeah!”

“Do you want to be helpful?”

“Yeah!”

Getting excited, I pumped a fist into the air. “You want to be strong and fight along side me?!”

“…” Hannah stared at me in shock. “What? No. Fight zombies? It’s scary… and kind of gross.”

I looked at her silently. “I… thought you were inspired?”

“Yeah! But not like that.” She nodded firmly. “I realized I was too eager when I wanted to be as terrifying as you…”

“HEY!”

“So I’ve decided.” She grinned. “I’m going to be a professional lackey, just like Liam!”

“…”

“…”

Eric and I sighed in unison.

Liam smiled, patting Hannah on the shoulder. “Now don’t look down on us weak and vulnerable support spouses!”

“You’re not even weak…and we’re not married...”

“We may depend on our stronger counterparts to protect our lives, but we can keep everything running smoothly so you don’t have to worry about anything else.” He looked at me expectantly. “How is your tea?”

Giving up on arguing, I sipped it, and paused, shocked. “It’s… amazing. How did you even make hot tea out here?”

“It’s a trade secret.” Hannah and Liam gave each other a thumbs up, as Hannah handed Liam a thermos, which he drank from silently.

We headed back to camp.

“I feel like we’re forgetting something.” I muttered as I sipped my tea.

“GUYS? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!! I’m STILL FIGHTING!” Jason’s angry shriek pierced the air, but no one turned around.

“I know what it is!” Liam grinned, cleaning one of my hands with a warm towel before handing me a freshly peeled apple. “Here, snack!”

“HANNAH? ERIC? ANYONE?”

I nodded, taking a bite. “That must have been it.”

_____________________________

A few days passed.

I tried again to convince Hannah to train to fight, thinking that combat skills would be the fastest way to change her status as kidnappable dead weight. After much convincing, she agreed to start training with me.

Unfortunately, the results were not what I had hoped for.

“OWW!” Hannah laid on the ground, staring up at me sadly. “I’m dying.”

“All I did was have you hold my sword. We haven’t even started fighting yet.”

“It hurts.”

“How did you even hurt yourself?” I stared at the small cut on her leg in consternation. “You only had the sword for fifteen seconds?”

Needless to say, the sword was confiscated. Strengthening exercises were meant with similar outcomes.

“How’s it going?” Liam brought me a bowl of hot soup, as I stared in disbelief at the figure attempting to do a pushup in front of me.

I pulled out my phone, glancing at the mission screen. The first completion bar for Hannah’s mission had been stuck at 10% since we started. “Not good. This is still her first push up.”

“Well, everyone takes a different amount of time…”

“We’ve been out here four hours.”

“Oh… how’s the soup?”

I sighed, taking time to try it. “It’s amazing. I’m still convinced you might be magic to be able to cook like this in the apocalypse.”

“This is just the beginning of my skills!”

I drank the soup quietly, staring at Liam while thinking.

“What is it?” He grinned. “You think I’m handsome and finally want to upgrade me from lackey to support spouse?”

“Who are you?”

My question was whispered, but he still heard it, a look of helplessness spreading across his face. This wasn’t the first time I had asked him this.

“I’ve told you everything, Blaire. I swear I’m not hiding anything from you.”

“You’ve told me everything _you’ve remembered._ ” I corrected him quietly, turning away. Focusing my attention back on Hannah, I couldn’t help but feel discouraged. “This isn’t going to work.”

“You said you’re trying to make her a well-rounded, useful person, right?” Liam finally spoke up, his expression thoughtful. “You might be pushing her in the wrong direction. There are many different ways to help out, fighting is just one of them.”

“Yeah… but that’s what I’m good at.” I rubbed my head. “If I have to teach her other skills, I might not be able to.”

I had memories from multiple story worlds, but most of them required me to act as a brain dead villain, not staying long. Only a few provided practical skills such as the assassin guild story. A sense of frustration filled me. 

“I can teach her cooking, supply management, and basic book-keeping.” Liam watched me, seemingly worried. “And you can teach her your special skill.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Negotiation.” He grinned. “It’s amazing to watch you reduce that idiot Jason to an apoplectic fit every time you argue.”

I thought it over, a small return smile forming on my face. “I guess I have developed some good interpersonal skills. I once helped my brother overcome an obsession with behavior modification training.”

“You have a brother?” He asked, his eyes widening.

“In a different life.” I felt a pang of loneliness for the time I had spent in the previous world. I wondered if Adam was doing well. Looking back at Liam, I reached over and patted him on the head.

“I’m glad you’re here.” _That I got to see you again. Even if you look different. Even if you don’t remember me._

Liam froze with shock at my touch for a few moments, before his face lit up with delight. “I’m glad I’m here too!”

I looked back down at Hannah, who still hadn’t completed her first push up. “Let’s go with your plan.”

Scratching the plan to make the heroine a one woman army, it was time to make her into an overpowered support character.


	4. Zombie Apocalypse

“So, you have to put more strength into kneading the dough.”

I sat off to the side of the makeshift kitchen, polishing my sword, listening as Liam explained patiently to the tearful heroine how to make bread.

“But my arms are getting tired.” Hannah sighed, her face dismal as she stared at the lumpy dough in front of her. “Maybe I’m just too weak?”

“Nonsense!” Liam patted her shoulder, “Just put all the love in your heart into behind your motions. After all, if you don’t make this bread, Eric will go hungry!”

“NO, I won’t let that happen!” Suddenly invigorated, Hannah pushed the dough with surprising strength. Pausing in her movements, she looked up at Liam. “Is that why you’re so good at cooking? Because you put all your love for Boss into it?”

“Unfortunately, no.” 

Liam’s answer surprised me. Trying not to be obvious, I leaned closer, making sure I could hear their every word, staring down at my sword, watching him in the blade’s reflection that had been polished to a mirror shine.

“But…”

“You see… if I put my love for your boss into my kneading…” He took a portion of the dough and pushed down on it.”

**CRACK!**

The counter under his hand split down the middle, the bottom of both sides crumpling into the ground

“My love is just too strong.” He continued sadly.

_What do you mean “my love is too strong”?? Aren’t you just ridiculously powerful?_

Hannah didn’t share my skepticism. “WOW! That’s so amazing! I have so much room to improve to reach your standard!”

_No one expects you to crack the counter while kneading dough, though._

I did have to admit, her skill and strength did seem to improve with Liam’s “motivational talk.” As they placed her dough in the oven, Hannah rubbed her hands, wincing slightly.

“I’m so tired and sore.”

“WHAT ARE YOU MAKING HER DO?” At Jason’s angry shout, I stared up at the ceiling, sighing.

“Do you know how to speak at a normal volume?”

I felt tired. Every time Jason was around, he was unreasonably hostile. I had adjusted better to this new character, no longer feeling overwhelming fear whenever I saw him, but it was still uncomfortable to be shouted at every single time we interacted.

“Hannah is learning how to cook.” I tried to keep my voice calm and reasonable.

“Are you trying to make her into your servant?!” Jason stepped closer, a threatening air around him. “Hannah is fine the way she is! She doesn’t have to do anything for you!”

“Hannah,” I called out. “Are we forcing you to learn how to cook?”

Hannah smiled brightly. “No, Boss! I’m so excited that I get a chance to learn so many things!”

Defeated by the heroine’s cheerful aura, Jason stepped back, glaring at me silently.

 _I’m done with this._ I stood up, sheathing my sword with a fluid motion. 

“Grow up. You may not like the fact that’s she’s learning, changing, but it was never up to you. You think you’re protecting her by not forcing her to change? We live in the apocalypse! Change is the only way for her to survive! You’re only hurting her by keeping her in a safe, useless bubble.”

It was the point that stuck out to me the most about this story. With a highly competent male lead and second male lead, why was the heroine such dead weight? At first I had assumed it was lack of motivation on her part, but after interacting with her for even a short amount of time, it was clear that it wasn’t the case. I had never met anyone so enthusiastic about improving herself. Which left only one explanation:

_Jason and Eric wanted to keep her that way._

Maybe it was a misguided attempt at protecting her. Maybe they found her dependence on them attractive. Either way, it was stopping now.

“You…!” Jason’s eyes were bulging, his mouth gaping open in shock.

“She’s right.” Eric stepped up, his dark eyes studying me carefully. “We were wrong to not help her adapt. I can’t protect her all the time, so I appreciate any skills you can teach her to help her survive.”

“…thanks.” I was really not used to this whole “reasonable male lead” thing.

“I’m going on a patrol, will you come along?” His intense gaze met my own.

“Sure, I’m not very useful when it comes to cooking lessons anyways.”

A brief smile flitted across his features at my answer. “Good. Let’s go.”

Liam waved a flour-coated hand at me. “Come back soon, dear! I’ll have dinner ready!”

I raised a hand in reply. Eric chuckled quietly.

“You two have a great relationship, huh?”

 _What even is our relationship? Minion/Boss? Boyfriend/Girlfriend? Why do I feel like he already married into the family without my knowledge?_ Unable to express my confused feelings, I answered simply.

“Seems so.”

_________________________ 

We walked the perimeter, taking down several groups of zombies along the way. The more Eric and I worked side by side, the easier it was to cooperate. I would engage the larger group, chopping off limbs and heads, while Eric hung back, shooting any stragglers. Once the surrounding area was cleared, we sat on the hood of a rusted, broken down car, trying to catch our breath.

“I might actually be willing to murder someone just to get a hot shower.” I used the cold water in my canteen to clean my hands, groaning with disgust.

Eric threw his head back and laughed whole-heartedly. “I wouldn’t blame you. It’s amazing what little things I used to take for granted that once lost I would do _anything_ to get back.”

I hesitated at his words. He seemed to be agreeing with me, but… something about his tone seemed off, as if he weren’t talking about simple things like showers and microwaves. He was staring down at the ground, and as I looked at him, I couldn’t quite see the expression on his face.

_There’s something off about this world._

I couldn’t shake that gut feeling again. I had been to so many worlds, played roles in stories over and over, and characters always stayed true to the story. There was never this uncertainty, this feeling of _wrongness_.

_Ever since I met Liam in the last world… something has changed._ _The rules aren’t the same anymore._

Eric looked back up at me, his expression completely normal. “What’s with the weird look? Do I have zombie guts on my face?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Nope. Just wondering what dinner will be when we get back.”

He smiled. “Yeah, Hannah will be waiting for me with her first attempt at baking. I shouldn’t miss it.”

_He’s completely back in character again. Had I just imagined that wrongness? Maybe I’m just too paranoid given Jason’s weird behavior._

“Let’s head back.”

_________________________ 

“That will cost 3 ammo boxes.” Hannah’s voice shook as she tried her best to stare me down.

“I don’t like that deal.” I shrugged, cleaning my nails with a knife. “How about you give it to me for free, instead?”

“… okay.” She whispered, her shoulders drooping.

“NO!”

**BAM!**

I slammed a hand down on the desk between us, frustrated. “You can’t just give in every time I make a demand! It’s bargaining! This is just practice, how are you going to do this when it’s someone who actually wants to cheat you?”

Hannah shrunk down in her chair. “But… if I say ‘no’… isn’t that… mean?”

“You need to tap in that inner rage, girl.” I sighed. “Use a healthy amount of it and be willing to toughen your skin and get what you and the group needs.”

“Rage?”

“Let’s try some insults, try to get you riled up: You’re useless. “

Hannah smiled and nodded. “I know, but I’m getting better.”

“Your cooking could be considered an act of global terrorism.”

“It IS pretty bad!”

I shook my head. “How about this: You’re so weak that I wouldn’t bet on you if you got into a fight with an anemic toddler.”

“That’s so true!” Instead of being insulted, she simply laughed.

I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

Two hands began rubbing my shoulders, Liam’s familiar voice in my ear. “Stay strong.”

“But… she’s just… so….” _Heroine-like._ “Pure.”

“It’s okay, you can do it!”

 _Let’s try a different tactic._ “I can’t believe you’re dating Eric. He smells.”

Liam’s face spasmed as he tried to hold back his laughter. “What is this, kindergarten? Do you really thing she’ll…”

**BAM!**

Before I could react, Hannah had pulled the knife out of my hands and embedded it on the table between us. Her eyes filled with rage, she leaned over and whispered quietly.

“What did you just say? Care to rephrase that, while you still have your health?”

“…”

“…”

Liam and I stared at her in shock, before bursting into cheers and applause. 

“That’s it! That’s the spirit!” I grinned, patting her on the back. “Just keep that rage you just felt in mind when you’re negotiating.

Hannah blinked, looking confused. “What do you mean?”

“Think of it this way:” I counted on my fingers as I spoke. “Every trade you make is them trying to take things away that Eric needs. Every agreement helps keep him safer. Every bit of food you can get out of them keeps Eric from going hungry.” I paused, looking at her. “Do you want Eric to go hungry?”

Her face was stony. “No!”

“So what are you going to do?”

“KILL THEM!” Hannah grabbed the knife, her eyes bright with excitement.

“…” I sighed. “Dial it back to about a ‘seven’. Try for coming out ahead in every negotiation. Everybody can win, but you have to win just a little bit more. Understand?”

“YEAH!”

I looked over at Liam. “I might have done a bad thing.”

“It will be okay.” He glanced over at Hannah, who was still holding the knife with a bloodthirsty expression. “… probably.”

“I don’t feel reassured.”

“She might tear the next negotiator’s throat out… but at least she won’t be giving away any supplies.”

“True.”

“Alright then, you guys have fun, I have work to do!”

Surprised, I glanced over at Liam. “Still with the secret project?” Over the last few weeks as we had been training Hannah he had been disappearing more and more. At first, I thought it had to do with the Blood Wolves, but as time went on I couldn’t help but grow more curious.

Liam didn’t answer, just giving me a mysterious smile before walking away.

I turned back to Hannah. “Alright, while you still have such a good mindset, let’s move on to the next topic, how to escape after you’ve been tied up.”

_________________________ 

A few hours later I headed back towards my tent, rubbing my sore wrists. _Hannah made surprisingly good progress today._ I pulled out my phone, clicking on the mission progress screen. Hannah’s mission was now at 86%.

I felt a surge of relief, we were on the right track. Although it was frustrating to see the “help the humans establish a good foundation” mission was still only at 13%.

 _How long am I going to be in this world for?_ I put away my phone, feeling a strange mix of confusion and relief. I wasn’t sure how to help humanity… but at the thought of spending more time with Liam, it was hard to be too upset about it.

“Blaire, I won’t let you get away with this.” Jason stood in my path, his face drawn back in a sneer. I threw up my hands, feeling frustrated.

“Seriously, dude? Do you not have _any_ hobbies?”

He stepped forward, a light in his eyes. “I don’t know who you are… I don’t know WHAT you are… but you aren’t Blaire.”

My heart stopped for a brief moment, and then beat rapidly in my chest. It was true that the original character was a spoiled brat without many useful skills, and I hadn’t really been pretending… but how would he know? Even if they knew each other in high school, they shouldn’t have been that close? “I don’t know what you’re on, but I’m Blaire.”

 _What’s going on?_ Before he had been hostile, but that could be explained away with his overprotectiveness of Hannah and his perception of Blaire as a useless person. But now…

 _Now he looks like someone who knows too much_.

“You might think you’re so clever… but you won’t win. This is your last warning.” He smiled, the expression causing the hairs on the back of my neck to rise. “Stop trying to change Hannah. Stop interfering with our lives. Or you’ll regret it.”

I didn’t back down. “I’m helping Hannah, whether you believe it or not, whether you LIKE it or not.”

“So be it.” Laughing quietly, he walked away, leaving me shivering in the wind.

 _What am I missing?_ I checked the character page on my phone again. Jason’s information was unchanged. I entered my tent, slumping to the ground, my head in my hands.

I felt a deep sense of unease, as if something terrible was about to happen.

I just couldn’t figure out what.

_________________________ 

A few weeks passed. Hannah improved several sets of survival and support related skills, the progress bar in her mission slowly climbing up to 97%. When a traveling group passed by, she negotiated a deal with them, nabbing us some extra ammo and supplies. Of course, having the Blood Wolves stand behind her looking threatening probably helped matters quite a bit.

The “help humanity” mission had not changed at all, however.

One day, Liam interrupted our lesson, his face filled with excitement. “Blaire, it’s done!”

I couldn’t help but smile at him, his excitement was contagious. “What’s done?”

“Your surprise!” Grabbing my hand, Liam pulled me out to the back of the camp, where I rarely went. To my shock, there was a whole brick building that hadn’t been there before. It was small, only one room, but it definitely wasn’t there last time I had checked.

“What is this…?”

“Check inside!” Liam was practically dancing as he pulled me forward. I noticed that many of the Blood wolves were standing nearby, covered in dust and sweat, proud grins on their faces.

Curious, I stepped into the building, looking around. It was a small one room space, with a single battery powered lamp hanging from the ceiling, a clean blue tile floor beneath my feet, In one corner stood a shelving unit with all sorts of supplies on it… but in the other…

I blinked, rubbing my eyes as if to change the image in front of me.

“Is that… a shower?”

Liam grinned, pulling back a simple white shower curtain. He turned a knob and cheered as water came pouring out from the shower nozzle above into the drain below. 

I shook my head. “But… how?”

“It wasn’t too hard.” Liam turned the water off. “Just set up a water pump from a nearby well, and a generator powered water heater. But now you can have hot showers whenever you like!”

He paused, looking over at me with an expectant gaze, like a puppy that wanted praise. I couldn’t help it, I laughed and pulled him forward, kissing his cheek.

_How much time did he spend on this? How hard did he work, just to make me happy?_

“I may just have to marry you for this.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

“I mean…”

Before I could respond, he ran out of the building, shouting. “DID YOU HEAR THAT GUYS? I’M GETTING MARRIED!”

“Congrats, Boss!” Shark, Liam’s recently promoted right hand man shouted back first.

“Hooray!”

“Does this mean we get bonuses?”

I slowly walked out of the doorway, amazed at the speed at which Liam had gone, I could hear him now behind the shower building, loudly and happily planning a ceremony.

 _Should I tell him we aren’t actually engaged?_ Part of me felt oddly reluctant to interrupt the cheerful discussion. 

Wait… _Does this mean I actually WANT to be engaged to him?_

I leaned against the doorframe, sighing to myself. I still wasn’t sure how long I would be in this world. _Would it really be fair to him to start a relationship knowing I would leave him?_

 _But it does give me the option to stay if I want._ I felt a sense of longing at the thought. _I could live a whole lifetime here with him_. 

There was a weight that was lifted off my shoulders as I considered it. 

_But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let the Blood Wolves plan my wedding._

As I heard the words “explosive balloons” being tossed around, I stepped forward ready to head over to the group to intervene, when someone spoke from beside the building, just behind me.

“Blaire.”

As I turned, something struck me in the head, and my world dissolved into pain and darkness.

_________________________ 

“Wake up, Blaire.”

A familiar voice called out as I slowly opened my eyes. As I saw the person standing before me, I couldn’t help but feel confused and relieved.

“Jason?” 

_Isn’t he supposed to be a good guy? It’s not like he’s ever hid his hostility towards me, though._ As my consciousness returned, I realized I was tied to a chair, my wrists tied securely behind my back.

Jason smiled at me, the expression… wrong. “I warned you to leave Hannah alone.” He stepped closer, leaning over me. “She was perfect the way she was. The way she was meant to be. But you… a stranger… a monster… tried to change her?”

“You mean, teaching her to fend for herself?”

“SHE NEEDS ME!” He paused, clearing his throat. “She needs us… the group. She never needed to work so hard. But you didn’t care. No wonder he said you don’t belong here.”

“Who said I don’t belong…”

“SHUT UP!” He slapped my face, my ears ringing from the impact. I was already still dizzy from the first head injury, and now the room spun slowly as I tried to regain my balance.

“Now that I have both of you, I’ll make things right, get things back on the path they’re supposed to be on.”

_Both of you?_

My mind raced, thinking to the story’s original course. The end of this character had been when both she and Hannah were kidnapped; leaving Eric to choose his beloved over the unlikable spoiled girl.

I felt a chill. _This is how she died._

I didn’t know what would happen if I died before my mission was complete. But I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be given another chance if I failed.

I slowly picked apart a loose seam on my sleeve, pulling out a razor blade from its hidden pocket in my shirt. Without changing my expression, I began cutting the ropes holding my hands together.

“Why would you kidnap Hannah too? Don’t you love her?”

Jason had been pacing the room, but paused, staring at me with astonishment. “How did you know about my feelings?”

I rolled my eyes. _Seriously? That’s what surprises you?_ Before I could answer, he started pacing again, gesturing wildly as he spoke.

“I had to take her! Hannah is mine! Eric never appreciated her, didn’t protect her well enough! She got kidnapped so many times…”

“So instead of teaching her to protect herself… you kidnapped her?”

“EXACTLY!” Jason paused, but then shook his head. “No, you’re twisting my words.”

As I watched him walk frantically back and forth, I continued to work on the ropes, thinking to myself.

 _Was Jason the original kidnapper in the book as well?_ It would explain my character’s deep-seated terror of him.

But why didn’t I have any memories of it? I searched the previous character’s memories again, but the time around the kidnapping was still blank.

_Why can’t I remember?_

“Either way, I can’t let you leave here alive. You’ll only corrupt her further.”

I heard Jason mutter to himself, pulling out a gun from his pocket. 

The blood drained from my face, and I quickly broke the mostly cut through rope, jumping forward and trying to grab the gun. As we struggled, his free hand punched me in the head once more, the previous injury with the new blow causing my vision to blacken. I tried to hold onto the gun, barely retaining my consciousness, but he pushed me away, aiming the large caliber pistol at my chest.

“You never belonged here. I’m just making things right.”

I couldn’t see straight. My ears were ringing. Feeling overcome with despair, I closed my eyes.

_I never got a chance to say goodbye to Liam. Every day we spent together, but I never told him…_

“Blaire!” A familiar voice called out, and someone grabbed me tightly pushing me onto my back.

**BANG!**

A single shot echoed in the small room.

A warm wetness soaked my shirt and chest.

_No._

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking to clear the double vision and blurring as my head throbbed . A heavy weight was on top of me, the blurry shape coming into focus.

Liam.

“No.” I whispered, my heart in my throat.

His face was pale… too pale, his lips colorless as he smiled at me. “You’re okay!” His voice was hoarse, his eyes slightly unfocused.

I rolled him over to his side gently, my hands gently touching his back, where a small hole entered in the center of his back. A second wound was visible in his left chest, a burning pain on my shoulder making me realize the same bullet had grazed my arm on its way out. Blood poured from his wound, soaking his shirt, my hands, the carpet beneath us.

Too much blood.

“Liam.” My fingers trembled, tracing out his cheek, leaving bloody traces on his skin. “We’ll get you help. You’ll be okay. I just…” I looked around desperately, not seeing anyone in the room anymore. _Would there be a first aid kit nearby?_

“Blaire.” Liam grinned and rolled onto his back, blood seeping between his lips. His eyes suddenly cleared, filled with infinite care and gentleness. A weak hand patted my head. “Sorry, I have to go first.”

My eyes widened. “What are you…?”

“Next time, let’s get married? “ The last word trailed off, his eyes no longer focusing on me anymore. His hand slowly dropped to the floor beside him.

“Liam?” My voice was barely audible, my head slowly lowering to his soaked chest, listening for sounds of breathing, for a heartbeat… any sound of life…

There was only silence.

“Liam? No… you can’t…” I shook my head, tears blurring everything around me. “You promised to stay by me. To help me! To be a support spouse. You were so stupid!” The words were slurring in between my sobs. My fist struck the ground, the pain from the blow not registering. “How could you be so happy just earlier today… and now…”

“Blaire?” Hannah’s excited voice called out. “I escaped just like you taught me, and brought help…” She entered the doorway, pausing with a gasp as she saw me clutching Liam’s slowly cooling body. “Liam…”

I looked around, my eyes narrowing as I realized that Jason wasn’t in the room. I struggled to my feet, swaying in place. I looked around. Pushing past Hannah, I found my sword leaning against the wall and grabbed it, strapping it to my back. I left the building, my blood cold, my hands stready.

Eric stood outside, his face grim. “Blaire?”

“Where is Jason?” My voice was cold enough to freeze the air around me.

“Where’s Liam, he ran ahead?” His voice trailed off as I stepped closer, drawing my sword.

“Where. Is. He.”

“Dead.” Eric’s calm gaze met my own. “He ran out with the gun, and aimed it at me. I shot him first.”

“Where’s his body…?”   
  


“BOSS!” and the other members of the Blood Wolves ran up, interrupting my questioning. Taking in my blood soaked appearance, they paused, sadness filling their eyes.

“He’s gone.” The words seemed to drain the life from me as I spoke.

Shark stepped forward. “He protected you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then he’d be happy you’re okay.”

I laughed bitterly at that and started to move forward. A hand reached out and grabbed my arm.

Eric.

“Where are you going?” He asked quietly, his face serious.

I pulled myself from his grasp. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled up the screen, ignoring the confused looks of those around me. The mission progress for Hannah was updated.

**100% Complete.**

My eyes traveled down to the second mission.

**Help humanity establish a foundation in this world.**

**15% complete.**

I put my phone away, wishing I could break it. Looking up at the sky, I blinked back exhausted tears.

_Once I was excited that this mission would take years to complete._

_But now it’s trapped me here._

“Blaire?”

“I’m off to make a new world.” I walked a few steps, then paused, glancing back at Hannah, who stood behind me, her face pale and sad. “You’ve learned a lot. Work hard, build something great.”

“Blaire, don’t go.”

“That’s the only way to help me now.”

I turned back and walked forward, no longer looking behind. 

“Boss.” The Bloody Wolves stepped forward, their faces solemn. “We’re coming with you.”

I shook my head. “No need.”

“It’s was Boss’ order. If anything happened to him, you were the new Boss.” Shark paused. “Please, it’s what he wanted.”

“It won’t be pretty.”

He smiled at that. “Nothing ever is these days.”

“Then let’s go.”

Ignoring the calls of the hero and heroine, I walked out into the world.

_________________________ 

**It took five years.**

Five years of fighting. Zombies, bandits… whoever threatened the peace, the budding communities and cities. With the Blood Wolves behind me, I traveled around, only staying in one place long enough to kill whoever needed it.

“Boss, you need to rest.” One day, Shark grabbed my arm, tears in his eyes. “You’re still bleeding.”

I looked down at the wound, frowning as I didn’t remember the bandit landing a hit in the last fight. Shrugging off his hand, I wrapped the wound up as I walked, refusing to stop. “If you need to rest, then do so. You can always catch up with me later.”

“He wouldn’t want this.”

I paused, staring at the scarred, caring man for a long few moments. “He’s waiting for me.”

_I have to finish the mission._

I glanced down at my phone, which showed a new number.

**92% Complete.**

“I have to keep going.”

I heard whispers of Eric and Hannah’s camp. They had grown exponentially, recruiting fighters, farmers, and craftsman. Hannah had a reputation as a ruthless negotiator, with many saying they’d rather face hoards of zombies than her with a contract in hand.

Her cooking had also gained a reputation, and was also widely feared.

 _I guess she never quite picked up all of Liam’s skills._ I smiled fondly, remembering his proud grin when he called me to dinner, showing off his craft.

I kept fighting.

And finally, one day, after defeating a large hoard of zombies, bleeding from multiple wounds, I felt a vibration in my pocket as I sank down to the ground, ignoring the blood soaking my clothing. I smiled up at Shark and the rest, who fortunately had survived all these years at my side, my first true smile since Liam left.

They were startled at the sight. “Boss?”

I laughed with relief, waving them closer. “I have to go find him now.”

Shark sank to his knees, staring at me with wide eyes. “You…”

“Go back to Eric and Hannah. They’ll have plenty of room and food, and you guys deserve to rest.”

“You’re not coming back with us?”

I pulled out my phone, looking at the sight I had longed for over the past five years.

“ **100% complete.**

****** You have finished the mission! ******

**Stay in this world?**

**YES/NO**

“Thank you guys, for everything.” I reached over and pressed “No” without hesitation.

“Boss!”

I escaped into the nothingness between worlds.

_________________________ 

“She’s gone.”

“Eric?” Hannah’s careful voice broke his reverie, startling him. “Who’s gone?”

Eric smiled at the heroine, patting her head carefully. “It’s nothing. I have to go check on something.”

“What are you…?”

Ignoring her call, Eric walked a long ways away, clearing off a secret door, which led into a barely lit underground space. Looking at the chained up man on the floor, he sighed carefully, sitting on a chair in front of him.

The man looked up, the horrific scarring on his face making him barely recognizable.

“Hello again, Jason.”

“Eric.” The voice was hoarse, filled with a deep hatred.

Eric ignored him. “It’s been five years.” He stared down at the barely living man, his eyes cold. “Five years, but now she’s finally left this world. So our time together is at an end.”

“Who left, Hannah?” Jason’s remaining eye which were cloudy and dull, brightened as he spoke her name.

“No, Blaire.” He sighed at the name. “Who knew she’d choose a name so close to her own. Sometimes I wonder if her memories were really lost.”

“Blaire? You…” Jason glared at him with shock. “You’re crazy… this was all your doing! YOU were the one who told me the story of this world. You told me she was an imposter! This is all your fault!”

Eric threw his head back and laughed. “I gave you so much opportunity. Information. Fogging up your role in the kidnapping in the original story… All you had to do was create enough chaos so that we could kill that clingy bastard and I could save her life, making her indebted to me. But you killed him too quickly, and she left without a word.” He shook his head. “After all this time, she’s still so heartless.”

“So you never cared about Hannah?”

“Hannah? Oh, I love her… or I should say this character loves her. I am the hero, after all, and I must love the heroine.”

“Why…?”

“I wish I could choose someone different as well.” He frowned. “But I can’t change who I am, just like _he_ can’t.” Pausing, he stared up at the ceiling. “She’s the only one who can… if she can afford the cost, in the end.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Eric spread his hands helplessly. “You’d never understand. She’s already saved your foolish little world, even if you’ll never get to enjoy it.”

He stood up, pulling a knife from his belt.

“Wait… don’t!”

“I’ve had fun punishing you all these years. Unfortunately, I told her you were dead, and I’d hate to lie to her.” He grinned. “She might hold it against me.”

“NO!”

“Goodbye.” He slit the screaming man’s throat, and then turned around, leaning against the chair with a tired expression.

“It was hard enough to find her this time. How long is it going to take until I find her again?”


	5. Fantasy World 1

It was the emptiness between worlds. 

I hung there, formless, empty, in total darkness as a slow sense of confusion washed over me. From what I could remember transfers between worlds had always been rapid. The longest I had ever spent in this nothingness had been a few seconds. But as seconds turned to minutes, and confusion grew into panic, I finally called out, surprised I could hear my own voice.

“Am I done?” _Had this task of transferring between story worlds finally finished? Would I get my memories back? Go home?_

There was a flash of joy at the thought, followed by an uneasy feeling as I thought about the person who had followed me the last two worlds.

_Liam. Is he really waiting for me in the next one?_

Before I could examine my thoughts or feelings too closely, however, words formed in the space in front of me, the bright blue letters glowing in the surrounding darkness.

**Have you learned to accept you fate?**

“Accept my fate?” I shook my head. “You mean that I’m destined to travel between worlds being useless and bitter side characters?”

**You can go home. You can have everything back.**

“Wait… I can?”

**All you have to do is accept the destiny given to you.**

_What does that mean?!!_ I wanted to know who I was, I wanted to end this constant world hopping. But even as I prepared to accept, a severe stabbing pain filled my head. Something had been forgotten, something desperately important, but the harder I tried to catch it the further it fled. As I struggled I felt something deep within my soul rise up, and a single word was shouted instead of the agreement I had initially meant to give.

“NEVER!” It came out a snarl, filled with bitterness and rage, and overwhelming hatred and anger flooded my senses.

I couldn’t give up.

I WOULD NEVER give up.

Even if I wasn’t sure what that meant.

 **Very well.** It was just silent text, but I could sense the disappointment behind them.

**Then continue.**

Before I could respond, the words faded, and I was in a new world.

_________________________

“Help me!” A young voice filled with fear called out.

I opened my eyes, blinking in the bright sunlight, taking in the world around me.

Trees. Massive trees, in every direction I could see. A thin film of sunlight passed through the thick canopy of leaves, illuminating the ground covered in flowers. Butterflies of every color flittered around me, moving frantically from bloom to bloom. A dense smell of grass mixed with a sweet aroma of the flowers around me filled the air. It was a paradise.

“HELP!” Hearing the voice call out again, I leapt to my feet, feeling oddly unbalanced.

 _Why do I feel so… small?_ Looking down at my hands, I saw that they were much smaller than any of my previous bodies, with chubby, childish fingers. My legs were short, the small toes of my bare feet buried in the grass in flowers. I wore a simple green smock that came to my knees, the dress hanging straight down over a flat chest.

I was a child.

 _Well… this is new._ Before I could truly process the new body, I heard another scream of fear and ran towards it, trying to cope to the much shorter leg length than what I had previously taken for granted in the zombie world. As I passed between two large tree trunks, I skidded to a stop, gaping at the sight in front of me.

There was an elven child under attack.

He was about the same size as me, with pale skin, delicate features, and long pointed ears that poked through golden hair. A pair of bright green eyes, filled with tears and fear stared up at me. His small arms and legs flailed wildly trying to strike at the dark monster that pushed him to the ground.

I grabbed a branch on the ground, stumbling a bit from the weight and my lack of strength, and dragged it over. Screaming out, I swung the branch at the creature attacking the boy, knocking him several feet away.

The shadowy monster landed on its feet, turning towards me with a loud snarl. It had the vague form of a large wolf, but its entire being was made of darkness, the edges of its body blurred, as if it were something unnatural pushing against the edges of reality. From in between its black pointed fangs, a dark liquid dropped, burning the grass it touched. The only color that could be seen were its eyes, that were a startling shade of dark blue.

“Get behind me.” I snapped at the child, brandishing my makeshift weapon again.

He stared up at me silently, his eyes confused, his body frozen in place.

“Or you can just lay there and let the monster eat you. That works too I guess.” I felt sorry for the kid, but it wasn’t like I had time to coddle him.

At my sarcastic words he seemed to shake himself, rolling to his feet and stumbling behind me, just as the shadow creature pounced.

 **SMACK!** The branch connected solidly with the creature’s head, the wood sinking into the shadow for the briefest moment before the monster was thrown back into a tree.

It growled softly, getting back to its feet. A slow trickle of blue blood ran from the wound, floating in the air and dissipating into nothingness.

“Bad shadow wolf! Go back to your home!” I held up the stick again, groaning. “Where’s a spray bottle when you need it?”

Before I could bemoan my lack of canine training tools, the creature lifted its head, seeming to hear some silent call. It pointed its jaws to the sky letting out an eerie howl, before leaping into the air and disappearing, leaving only the wreckage and dead plants as evidence that it had ever been there.

I sighed with relief, turning to the child behind me. “Are you okay?”

“You… you drove it off!” His eyes were wide with shock. “You saved me!”

“No big deal…”

“It was so scary.” He clenched his fists. “I was too weak. I couldn’t do anything.”

“Um… I wouldn’t really worry about…” Sensing a character development monologue coming, I desperately tried to interrupt.

He picked up a branch swinging it in the air with a fierce expression. “I swear on the graves of my parents, I will become stronger, someone who can defend the weak!” Looking over at me, he added. “You won’t have to worry anymore, I’ll protect you.”

“Weak? Seriously did you not just see me beat it up…”

“After all, I owe you my life.” He reached over and grabbed my hand enthusiastically. “So I’ll stay by your side until my debt is repaid.”

_Uh oh. Adorable elf boy, dead parents, attacked by monsters and vows to grow stronger? My male lead senses are tingling. Better get away._

I smiled blandly, pulling my hand out of his grasp. “I was saving my own skin. You don’t owe me anything.”

“I do!” He put his hand to his heart and bowed. “I am K’lliean.”

There was an awkward silence.

_Crap! I haven’t gotten the mission or the character’s memories yet. Well last time they let me rename my character… here’s hoping._

“My name is Blaire.”

“Belaire?”

Bright blue words formed in the air beside me.

**You have chosen to select the character name “Belaire” All characters’ memories will be adjusted accordingly.**

****** Confirm character name? ******

_Slightly off… but …_ “Sure.”

**Character name confirmed.**

I stayed calm, even with the scrolling text in the sky that only I could see. This had happened before, in story worlds where a cellphones didn’t exist. The text simply appeared on the sky, responding to voice instead of typing.

Now that K’lliean’s memories had been properly adjusted, he had backed away, a look of disgust on his face.

“Stay away from me, you… you…” He glared at me. “Stupid girl!”

“How will I ever recover from that insult?” I held a hand up to my head. “But sure, I’m fine staying far away from you.” _Always safer to not hang around the male lead type too much._

“I’m NEVER going to marry you, so don’t even think about it.”

“…” I shrugged. “Ok.” _I’m already hating this plot, and I don’t even know it yet._

“I’m going to be a great warrior one day! I’m not some HELPER for a stupid priestess!”

“No one’s arguing with you, dude. Go live your life.”

K’llean stared at me for a few moments, and then looked away suddenly. “I mean… if you REALLY want to marry me, I’ll let you stay by my side.”

“Literally never asked for that.”

“But don’t forget that I don’t like you! I’m only marrying you to help save the forest.”

_What in the world is this plot?!!!_

I rubbed my forehead, a headache forming. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I’m sure there are other alternatives besides matrimony to save the forest. I’ll figure it out.”

“SHUT UP!” K’llean stomped his foot. “I’ll save this forest, and I won’t need the help from a stupid girl like you!” With that he ran off, leaving me behind to stare at his back in shock.

“Knew the trend of reasonable male leads wouldn’t last.” With a chuckle, I sat down with my back against an enormous tree trunk and spoke to the air around me. “Open mission.”

Words began forming in the air in front of me.

****** NEW WORLD: THE CHOSEN ONE ******

**This world is an incomplete epic fantasy novel, centering on the heroine Stella. Stella was an average 21-year-old college student, until she was transported into a world of fantasy, swords and magic. Learning that her arrival was predicted by prophecy, and that she is the Chosen One who must save the world, she harnesses her newfound magical abilities and goes on a epic quest to defeat the Lord of Darkness.**

“So far so good. Maybe she’ll be a fun heroine like last time…”

**During her journey, Stella falls in love with a elven warrior named K’llean.**

“CALLED IT! He’s totally the male lead!” I high fived myself, and then felt embarrassed at the lonely gesture.

**K’llean returned her feelings, however, he was already married to the elven priestess, who was tasked with saving the forest by combining their light magic abilities. The high priestess, hurt by K’llean’s betrayal, initially tried to send away Stella, but instead, in a terrible battle against the dark forces, chose to sacrifice herself to save the Chosen One’s life.**

“I have a bad feeling about that priestess character.”

**This story was discontinued after the author quit the story, fed up with complaints from the readers. There was a huge backlash at the story’s treatment of the elven priestess, a fan favorite character. Additionally, very few readers supported the romance subplot between Stella and K’llean, given that it began in earnest while K’llean was still married. There was general complaint that Stella and K’llean never received any consequence for their betrayal of the loyal priestess, and that her death was simply to pave the way for the “Chosen One.” The story world was abandoned and left to be destroyed.**

**The author’s main regret is the sad fate of the elven priestess. To complete their wish and stabilize this world, please allow the elven priestess to live a long, happy life. For this mission to succeed, the world must still be saved from the Lord of Darkness without sacrificing the life of the priestess.**

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

“…” I stared at the words thoughtfully. “So I just have to find this priestess and make sure she doesn’t get married to the cheating idiot and lives happily without sacrificing her life for them?” My eyes narrowed. “I feel like there’s gotta be a catch. What if I say ‘no’?”

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

The words appeared again. I wasn’t surprised. There was only ever one option.

“Yes.”

My brain was filled with a flood of information, foreign knowledge, memories and emotions belonging to my character. I closed my eyes, groaning with pain, my fist hitting the ground beside me over and over until the skin split, my blood staining the leaves and grass.

“Well… this sucks.” I knew there was going to be a catch, but when I figured it out, all I could do was smile bitterly at my new identity. _I should have guessed._

I was the elven priestess.

_________________________

I leaned my head against the tree trunk, sorting through the new information, the rough bark digging into my scalp. A slow trickle of tears overflowed from my closed eyes, as I fought back the emotions that weren’t my own.

_The priestess had truly loved K’llean._

She had known from an early age that she was to be a priestess. Her strong light magic, tested from birth, left her with no choice but to serve her people. Part of that role required her to marry an elf with strong magic, combining their powers to allow the forest to be protected. K’llean was one of many young elves that had been approved as a potential partner.

They met in a similar way that I had just experienced, with her saving his life from a shadow beast. From that moment on, they had spent every waking moment together, growing up side by side. And on the night of her adult ceremony at the age of eighteen, she had chosen him without hesitation.

I could feel her memories, of K’llean watching her with a loving gaze.

**_“I’ll stand by your side, even if no one else does. Forever.”_ **

She had believed him, whole heartedly.

But he was the male lead, so his love, his true love, was only ever given to the heroine.

The Chosen One.

This world was made for her, for her happiness.

How could one priestess stand against it? 

When she found them together… she tried to protest, tried to remind him of the love they had shared. But in the end, Stella had everything. Her people’s trust. Her husband’s love. Even her mission, to save the forest, the one she had trained her whole life to fulfill, had been handed over so easily.

She had nothing.

When she burned through her life force in the battle against the darkness, fueling a magic powerful enough to drive to out the dark creatures and purify the forest, she had felt nothing but a weary resignation.

She had fulfilled her task, protected her people.

But she had not left happily.

I covered my face with my hands, sobbing loudly with a pain I hadn’t experienced, but had become my own. It took some time, but eventually the storm passed. My throat was sore, my eyes sore, but my emotions slowly calmed down.

“I give you…us… a happy life.” I felt a sense of completeness at the words, a almost inaudible relieved sigh in my ear.

Shaking my head, I stood up, stretching with a groan. According to my memories, this character should be about eight years old.

I had already met K’llean. It was probably for the best. If I had the memories I had now, I might not have saved him, child or no.

His cold, careless eyes as he watched his wife sacrifice her life to protect his lover and himself was still fixed firmly in my mind. I wasn’t too happy about it.

The main issue was that I needed to be able to protect the forest, and that would be difficult to accomplish without either burning up my life force or combining my magic with another light magic elf… and K’llean had the strongest magic.

 _No way in hell am I marrying that guy._ My thoughts strayed briefly to the man who had planned our wedding in the last world, wondering if I would see him again, before I reigned them in firmly. _So I just need to be powerful enough that I don’t need the cheater’s help. He can run off and romance the heroine to his heart’s content. I’m going to be the greatest light magic wielder this world has ever seen!_

I rubbed my hands together, feeling excited. This was my first magic world, and I was starting out as a child, meaning I got to learn from the start. Elves in this world aged similarly to humans, which gave me about 10 years to prepare for the large scale battle against the darkness. Magic lessons should begin at age ten, but it shouldn’t be too hard to get them to start early.

_Magical powers, here I come!_

A villainous laugh filled the air, completely out of place in the beautiful elven forest.

_________________________

“You’re too young.” The Elven leader’s lined face showed his concern as he shook his head at me. “It’s good to be eager, but you should enjoy the freedom and childhood you have before you’re forced to spend all your time studying.”

I glanced off to the side, where a group of elven children were playing. K’llean could be seen in the middle of the group, swinging a branch, screaming at the top of his lungs.

“I’M THE GREATEST!”

 _Spare me a childhood with him._ I smiled at the elder. “It is my duty, and my joy to work hard for the sake of our people. I have a sense that I need to start early to be able to protect our forest.”

The leader eyed me suspiciously. “You were given a prophecy?”

I kept my smile firmly in place. “Sure.” _It’s not completely a lie. In a way, I do know what the future holds._ “If I’m not powerful enough by the time I reach adulthood. I will die, and the forest will be in grave danger.”

_No need to mention the Chosen One for now. Don’t want them skimping on the training resources._

I struggled to keep my thoughts from showing on my face. The elder had been one of many who had supported my character whole-heartedly… at least until the heroine had shown up. Then he had cast her aside just as quickly. 

While still expecting her to be willing to die to protect him and his people.

_This life will be different from hers. I’ll give them no choice but to want to stay on my good side._

Perhaps something in my tone or my gaze convinced the older elf. He sighed quietly, patting my head. “Very well. I hope you don’t regret this decision. Once you start, you can’t quit halfway, even if you want to go out and play with the other children.”

I again looked off at the group of young elves. K’llean was squatting over a boy he had just knocked down, farting in the other child’s face while yelling. “YIELD TO THE MIGHTY ELVEN WARRIOR!”

I turned back to the elder. “I am so sure. You have no idea how sure I am.”

“Then let’s begin.”


	6. Fantasy World 2

“No, No, NO! You must rid your mind of all distractions, and find the source of your magic within!” The elder’s shriek broke my concentration once more, dissipating whatever progress I had made. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

 _You’re too small to strangle him, so just let it go._ I kept my eyes closed, searching within myself for the source of my magic.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” A loud voice accompanied the crash of the door as someone bounded into the room.

“K’llean, Belaire is trying to practice her magic, you need to be quiet.” The elder admonished, his voice nearly as loud as the annoying child standing beside me.

“Hey, why are you practicing your magic already?!” K’llean grabbed my shoulder, shaking me back and forth. “We’re not supposed to start for two more years! You’re cheating!”

 _You can’t strangle him either. He’s just a child._ I slowly opened my eyes. “I’m practicing my magic because I want to. You have no right to complain. If you think I’m cheating then work hard to get strong too.”

“I’m already strong!”

“Says the boy who was screaming at me to help him.”

“SHUT UP!”

_I’m sensing that most of our conversations are going to end this way._

To my surprise however, he didn’t run off, sitting down beside me in a meditative posture instead. Catching my curious look, he turned his head away, snorting angrily.

“It’s not that I want to spend time with you or anything! I just want to be the strongest and won’t let you get a head start.”

I closed my eyes once more, deciding to ignore him for my mental health.

A short while later, I sensed a glowing ball of light within the core of my body. “I think I’ve found it!”

“Really?” The elder’s surprised shout nearly broke my concentration again, but I held on, keeping all my focus on the bright light. “Good job, it normally takes much longer to find the magic source!”

“I’LL FIND IT FASTER!”

I sighed, ignoring K’llean’s shout, opening my eyes to look at the elder. “Is it supposed to be so… small?” I couldn’t remember too well from my character’s prior memories her initial training, but the moment of her death was vividly stuck in my mind. At that time, it was less like a glowing ball and more like an all-consuming force, ballooning outwards to be large enough to contain the entire forest. But the light I could see right now was about the size of a grapefruit.

The elder shrugged. “It will grow a small amount as you mature, reaching its final size by the age of adulthood, but it should only be about twice the size of what you see now.”

“Is there any way to make it grow bigger?”

“I’m glad you asked!” The older elf grinned from ear to ear.

“… Can I take back my question?”

“The best way to increase one’s magical power is to combine it with another powerful elf through a life oath!”

_A life oath._

A wave of anger, revulsion and sorrow hit me, so strongly that I could only fall out of my chair onto my hands and knees, retching violently.

The life oath is a sacred oath between two elves. It binds the souls of the two together, a knot so tight that it can only be broken by death. It allows the sharing of magic powers, of thoughts, emotions…

The priestess had experienced all of K’llean’s emotions, his happiness and all the tender feelings he had… towards the Chosen One. She endured as the other half of her soul, her life’s partner betrayed her, able to feel that he had no sense of guilt even as he broke her heart over and over. He had even barred himself from feeling her side, unwilling to share the despair that he had caused, a move she had refused to make as it causes significant physical pain to the other partner.

Her death had released him from the promise he had made to her. To love her forever.

“Belaire? Are you okay? Are you sick?” a small hand reached out and touched her…my… forehead, checking for a fever. In my blurry vision I saw K’llean’s familiar immature features, twisted into an expression of anxiety and concern. “Should I go get the healer?”

_I want to kill him._

I clenched my fists on the ground, the nails piercing the skin of my palms as blood soaked my fingertips. I pushed back the murderous rage that wasn’t my own, reminding myself over and over that K’llean right now was still innocent, still a child. Not the man who had betrayed and trampled on the priestess.

I shook my head slowly, making sure I was completely calm and in control before struggling to my feet.

“I’m just tired. If it’s alright, I’ll go home and rest.”

K’llean frowned. “I’m not worried about you! I was just asking since it would be embarrassing if you died before our wedding.”

“I’m talking to the Elder.” I spoke through gritted teeth.

“You may go rest, child.” The older elf patted my head cautiously. “Now that you know how to access your magic, you can continue practice it. I’ll have you join in with the group class in the morning with the rest of the children learning magic.”

I stumbled back to the home provided for me, laying back covering my eyes with a sigh. I still had so little understanding about these worlds I lived in, how I could take over the life of someone who had died in the true story. But I had never struggled so much to control the emotions still stored within the body of my character.

“I will live a happy life.”

There was a strained silence in the room at my whisper, as if someone was listening.

“I am not you. I won’t act on your hatred, I won’t live out your dreams of revenge on a small child who hasn’t done anything yet.” I groaned, rubbing my temples. “But I promise I’ll become someone powerful. Someone even the Chosen One can’t compete with. I can’t change the fact that your story was broken, that you were betrayed, that you sacrificed your life for these ungrateful jerks.”

I felt a pressure in my chest, as if my heart was breaking. 

“Find some peace, priestess. I’ll fix this world, protect the forest, and find the life you wanted.”

The room was still quiet, but it felt significantly more… empty than before. The pressure subsided. I gave a sigh of relief, and, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep.

______________________________ 

“Why are children so noisy?” 

I stared at the chaos around me with a tired look. I had arrived to the area for lessons only to find pandemonium. K’llean and two older boys were wrestling while screaming at the top of their lungs, a group of four girls stood in the corner, chatting loudly, pausing several times to glare at me before turning back to each other. The general level of noise in the room was headache inducing.

“You’re a child as well, Belaire.” The elder looked at me with a pitying expression.

“Only because I have no other choice.” Looking around the room, I saw one child with dark hair sitting quietly off to the side apart from the rest. _Maybe I can have a friend who won’t make constant noise?_ I walked over to the young elf boy, feeling hopeful.

“Is it okay if I sit by you?”

The boy looked up at me, and I felt a shock of recognition. He had fair skin, seeming even paler under his pure black hair. His facial features were regular, and although immature, showed potential to grow into a very handsome look, only slightly marred by a fresh wound on his forehead. His eyes were dark blue, and very familiar.

“Liam?” The name was whispered, unconsciously. He didn’t look like Liam from either world, but his eyes… they were Liam’s eyes.

The boy looked at me expressionlessly, without any apparent interest, without recognition.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else. Can I sit by you?”

After a long pause, he nodded.

“Thank you.” I sat down next to him, a hand idly rubbing my chest as if that could relieve the piercing pain I felt there. This time it wasn’t the priestess’ remaining emotions, but my own.

_I miss Liam._

I had hoped to see him in this world, more than I had realized. Seeing the boy’s familiar eyes, I had been filled with hope that I had found him again. _But even if Liam doesn’t remember me, he always had some recognition of me._ In the last two worlds, immediately after meeting me he had stuck closely, declaring himself to be my minion, or support spouse, or whatever would allow him to stay by my side.

This young boy seemed to have little to no reaction to seeing me.

 _I guess it’s not him._ I felt depressed at the thought.

The boy and I sat silently, both lost in our own worlds. 

“Belaire! Why are you sitting by that freak?!” A loud, annoying voice broke the quiet peace on our side of the learning area.

I looked up at K’llean. “Do I know you?”

His mouth hung open with shock for a few moments. “I’m K’llean, the strongest elf warrior in the forest!”

“Sorry, never heard of you.”

“I’m your future husband!”

I tensed up slightly, wondering if I would be overcome with the same emotions as yesterday, but to my relief I only had a mild discomfort. It seems the prior character had really found peace and was willing to let me work.

Staring at the boy coldly, I answered. “I have no plans to marry you. So whatever trouble you’re trying to stir up by coming over, I suggest you drop it.” I paused, glancing at the still expressionless boy beside me. “And you should apologize to my friend for calling him names.”

At the word “friend” the boy’s dark blue eyes widened, focusing on my face briefly before dropping back to look at the ground. He seemed as if he wasn’t listening at all to our conversation, but I noticed his fists tightening in his lap, his knuckles white with tension.

“You can’t be friends with him!” K’llean shouted, his two buddies beside him nodding in agreement.

“He’s already my friend, so obviously I can.”

“He’s a monster!” One of the other students burst out, glaring at the child beside me. “My mother says he was born of dark magic, and will betray us all!”

“I heard he killed his own parents!”

“He’s evil!”

The boy beside me still didn’t react, his gaze focused on the ground by his feet. But how could a child truly ignore such horrible words? I stood up, standing in front of him, my arms crossed. “The only evil ones I see right now are you guys. Leave him alone!”

“…” The room fell into silence, broken finally by the elder’s uncomfortable cough.

“Children, stop fighting, let’s get to the lesson.”

______________________________

After a lecture on materializing our magic core into the real world, he separated us out and allowed us to practice on our own.

I sat down cross-legged, relaxing my hands on my knees and closing my eyes. Finding my magical core quickly, I frowned, still upset at the size of my magic.

_If it’s this small, there’s no way I’ll be able to protect the forest, even if I partner up with the annoying cheating idiot._

_How did the priestess grow her magic enough to cover the whole forest without his help?_

I thought things through carefully, my eyes popping open at an idea. It was dangerous, but if it worked…

_But I’m not going to be able to try it here; I’ll have to wait until after class._

An hour later the elder called us to stop, making sure we understood that proper rest was important when practicing magic. After a few closing comments, he released us to go. I winced as the children around me screeched in excitement at being set free, remaining in place until they had left and there was some peace and quiet.

 _This is going to be a long ten years if they’re going to be this noisy the entire time._ Sighing quietly, I stood up, brushing the dirt off of my clothing.

“THIS IS WHAT YOU GET, FREAK!” At the angry shout, I ran forward, a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Three boys, one of them K’llean, were kicking the small dark haired elf as he curled up on the ground. Without a shout of pain, or even a small cry of protest, the boy silently just protected his head with his arms.

“Get away from him!” I ran towards them, shoving the group off of the injured boy.

K’llean turned towards me, his face red from anger and embarrassment. “He deserves it! He’s nothing but a dark magic freak! Look at him!” He pointed at the still silent boy. “He’s weak! He can’t protect you! I’m better than him! So he can’t be your friend, only someone strong can!”

I reared back and punched him in the face. 

I didn’t have much strength, being eight years old, but the years of fighting in the zombie apocalypse had honed my technique down to an art form. He flew back, landing on his butt and staring up at me with tears in his eyes.

“Why did you…?”

“Looks like you’re weak too.” I sneered. “So if we’re going by that qualification, you don’t deserve to be my friend either.”

“But I…”

“Fortunately, I don’t choose my friends by how strong they are.” I reached down and helped the dark haired boy to his feet, checking him over for injuries. “Unfortunately for you, K’llean, I won’t be friends with bullies.”

K’llean’s face paled at my words. Scrambling to his feet, he glared at me, wiping tears away with the back of his hand in a jerky motion.

“I don’t want to be your friend anyways! You’re stupid!” With that he ran away, the other boys by his side running with him.

I groaned, rubbing my head. _He’s just a jealous child. If he didn’t try to hurt someone else I would actually feel bad for him._ I turned towards the boy at my side.

“Are you okay?”

He stared silently at me, his dark blue eyes flickering between me and the backs of the group still running away.

“I’m sorry that he hurt you because I said you were my friend.” I paused, before continuing sadly. “Do you want me to stay away from you in the future so they don’t bother you?”

He continued to stare silently, before shaking his head slowly.

“Really? So we can be friends?” I felt happier than I expected at the thought, and smiled brightly at him.

He looked away, not answering, but I noticed the tips of his pointed ears had turned red. Glancing back at me, he waved goodbye and ran off, limping a little on the right side.

 _Is he really not Liam? He feels so… familiar._ Shrugging, I turned towards the forest. _It must be because I want to find him so badly. I’m seeing what I want to._

I headed off, finding a hidden cave from the priestess’ sparse childhood memories.The inside was dark and cool, a nice reprieve after the chaos and noise that had been present all morning. The only sound came from a slow drip of water deep within the cave, and the quiet brushing of grass outside by a breeze. I sat down, crossing my legs, relaxing my limbs one by one.

It was time to try out my idea.

The priestess had saved the forest in her story, her magic strong enough to cover everyone. She had fueled her magic temporarily with her own energy, draining her life away to make it that strong. Obviously I couldn’t do the same, not without failing the mission, at least.

But what if I _stretched_ my powers out a bit, with just a small amount of my own energy. Not enough to shorten my life, just enough to tire me out… If I temporarily enlarged it, while still in the growth period before adulthood, maybe I could increase my own capacity for magical power. 

It was worth a shot, at least.

I closed my eyes, focusing on my grapefruit-sized core of magic. With a deep breath, I slowly drew out my energy from my body, imaging it running along my veins, flowing into the core. As minutes ticked by, I broke into a cold sweat, feeling weak and clammy, but the core had grown at least another inch in diameter.

“It’s working.” I whispered to myself with a small grin. I fed a little more energy to it, starting to feel short of breath. It didn’t grow much more, even with the additional energy. After a few more minutes, I relaxed, falling onto my back and opening my eyes, staring at the stone ceiling. I felt exhausted, as if I had run miles and miles without a break, every limb weak, using all of my energy to simply breathe in and out.

 _Now to make sure it didn’t shrink back down._ I focused inward once more. As the golden core came into my mind’s view, I smiled triumphantly.

It worked. My core had increased in size and stayed that way, albeit just a small amount.

_If I keep stretching it… keep working at it, I can be strong enough to protect everyone without dying or using the stupid life oath._

Sighing with relief, I let go of the image and rested.

_I wonder if I’ll be this tired every time. I feel like I couldn’t move even if my life depended on it._

**Grrrr**

_Well crap._

With effort, I turned my head to the side, only to see the shadow monster from before slowly walk from the deepest recess of the cave, its dark blue eyes staring at me.

 _It’s the same one as before too._ I could see the wound on its head from where I had hit it with the branch earlier. It must have gotten injured further since then, its right hind leg seemed to be held up slightly off the ground. The creature watched me intently, briefly baring its teeth, but seemed to realize I was too weak to move.

I struggled, my brain trying desperately to force my limbs to work, but there was no energy left. _Am I going to die here?_

Just as I despaired, the wolf-like creature shook itself, shrinking down in size from a large beast to the size of a medium size dog. It seemed more solid, no longer pressing on the space around it, the edges of its form clear and sharp. It padded closer.

_Was it using magic to make itself bigger, more threatening? It’s much smaller now… unfortunately still big enough to kill helpless me._

As it drew next to me, its head bending over, the dark jaw looming over my face, I tried one last time to move, only able to produce a quiet groan and a small adjustment of my arms. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the teeth that would soon be digging into my face…

A wet tongue licked my cheek, startling me.

My eyes popped open, staring directly into the large eyes of the shadow beast. Its eyes were bright and happy, the creature sitting back on its haunches, it tongue hanging out, its tail wagging behind it.

“Hello, there boy. Not gonna kill me?” I whispered, having an urge to pet the dog-like creature without the strength to reach out. The beast seemed to understand me, letting out a quiet whine and rolling onto his back, revealing its belly right next to my weak, outstretched hand.

With some effort, I lifted my hand the few inches necessary and gently rubbed its belly.

“Good boy.”

It seemed delighted at the petting and the words or praise, jumping back on its feet, circling around me before crouching down to try to lick my face again. The speed of the tail wagging increased, until the creature’s haunches were wagging slightly with the motion.

“Glad you’re not going to rip my throat out, can you watch out while I take a little nap?” Unable to keep my eyes open further, I fell asleep even as I was talking, my last sight of the shadow creature its dark blue eyes as it laid on the ground near my head, guarding me.

______________________________

When I woke up, the sun outside was setting, dyeing the already dark cave entrance a deep blood red. My eyes opened only to be met with the worried gaze of the shadow creature, who was pressed up against me, whining quietly. Seeing that I was awake, it jumped up happily, licking my cheek and circling around me with excitement.

“You stuck by me?” I smiled and sat up, rubbing my sore back. The creature leaned against me, staring up at me with excited eyes. I pet his head, laughing quietly as it pushed its head into my hand. “I was hoping for a friend.”

At the word “friend” the shadow monster perked up, giving a little whine.

“How about I give you a name?”

It seemed to nod in agreement.

“Wait… are you a male?” I leaned over and grabbed its leg to lift it up, but it shrunk back, staring at me with a horrified look. “Okay, okay, no checking. So what should I name you?”

Staring at its blue eyes, I suddenly laughed with a thought. “How about ‘Liam’?”

I hugged the creature tightly, feeling happy. _He may or may not of followed me to this world, but either way I won’t forget him. It might be silly, but…_ As I let go of the newly-named Liam, he seemed to shake himself, and hid his face behind a paw.

“SO CUTE!” I hugged him again.

Well now I had a friend at school AND at home, and a plan to get stronger.

This world was on its way to being fixed

_What could possibly go wrong?_

As the thought crossed my mind I cringed, looking up at the sky. “I swear I didn’t mean to think that! Don’t be an ominous foreshadow!” Sighing, I petted Liam’s head. “When will I learn to avoid disaster inducing clichés?!”

Liam looked up at me mournfully, giving out a quiet sigh. 

“Don’t worry buddy. We’ll be okay…probably.” 


	7. Fantasy World 3

After recovering a bit of energy, I brought Liam home with me. It was a small living space, provided for me by the village to live in. Like many main and side characters of fantasy stories, the priestess was an orphan. Her father had passed prior to her birth and her mother during childbirth. In the story this had only increased her dependence on K’llean, as they bonded over becoming a new “family,” leaving her all the more alone when he betrayed and left her.

_I wonder if her parents had still been alive if the story might have turned out differently._

I rested in bed, feeling exhausted still from using my life energy up so recklessly. I promised myself silently that i would take less next time. The shadow wolf sat on the floor next to the bed, staring at me, his dark eyes filled with concern. I forced a smile and petted his head, enjoying the soft feel of his fur.

“Don’t worry, buddy. I’m just tired out.” I paused as my stomach grumbled, loudly. “And hungry, I guess.”

I stared over at the cooking utensils, too tired to get up and make something.

_Well, let’s try sleeping first, and then making food._ My eyes fluttered shut and my exhaustion swept over me, but it felt like only a few moments had passed before I woke up to a warm wet feeling on my cheek. The first sight upon opening my eyes was of a happy dog licking my face.

“Eww, Liam, gross!” I gently pushed him away, immediately feeling guilty as his ears drooped, and his eyes looked at me with an injured expression. Giving up immediately, I crawled out of bed, reaching out and hugging his head. “I’m sorry. You’re not gross. Just don’t wake me up by licking, okay?” Despite him being a dog, I felt like he could understand me. He backed away slowly, pushing something on the floor toward my lap with his nose.

“This is… fruit?” 

I was shocked. Had he figured out I was hungry and brought me something to eat? I recognized the pinkish fruit as something sweet and edible from the priestess’ memories, and picked it up, biting into it with relish. I stroked Liam’s furry back with my free hand as I ate, speaking in between bites. “Who’s a smart boy?” He seemed both happy and embarrassed by my words of praise, leaning his head against my side with a sigh.

After I had eaten and cleaned up, I climbed back into bed, patting the empty space beside me. “Come on, Liam, you can sleep with me tonight.”

The wolf creature’s eyes went wide with shock as it froze in place. I laughed at its bashful appearance. “It’s okay, it’s just me here, you won’t get in trouble for sleeping on the bed!” He was so fluffy and soft; I really wanted to hug him while I slept.

After a long pause, Liam slowly hopped onto the bed beside me, laying down and covering his face with both paws. I smiled, reaching out and hugging him, feeling relieved.

_I had felt so alone._

The years of bitter battles and desperate fighting in the zombie world had numbed me to the sense of isolation and loneliness that had grown within me since starting this pattern of story world hopping. But when I left that world behind for this magical forest, I realized just how much I had hoped to find that foolish man in this world as well. My hopes had been raised after meeting that silent, dark haired boy, but that had resulted only in disappointment. Fusing with the memories of the betrayed and broken priestess and only made things worse. I hadn’t realized until meeting a creature that seemed attached to me how truly desperate and alone I had started to feel.

_Even naming this poor cute dog after him, I must be a little twisted._ In a strange way, however, it made me feel better, as if part of that crazy guy whose goal had been to stay by my side was still with me.

I blinked back tears, one hand idly stroking the wolf’s head. “Goodnight Liam.” With that, I succumbed to the tiredness that still hung over me and slept.

Waking up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was that the wolf was gone. The bed beside me was still warm, so he must have left recently. Staring at the empty room, I felt a strange sense of loss.

_I don’t know why I expected him to stay. It’s not like he’s my pet or anything_. I smiled slightly as I saw that there was some extra fruit sitting out, obviously left for me to eat. Grabbing a few, I got cleaned up and headed out to the village center for the start of lessons.

________________________________

I was there fairly early, only a few children had arrived ahead of me, all looking still half asleep, and therefore somewhat quieter than normal. A quick glance around helped me locate my dark haired friend and with a wide grin I sat down next to him.

“Good morning!” I called out happily.

His dark blue eyes stared at me for a moment, and then he nodded silently in reply.

“Here, I brought an extra, you want one?” I handed him one of the fruits. “I made a new friend yesterday, besides you, I mean!” I laughed between bites. “He’s the cutest animal I’ve ever seen in the world! He even brought me breakfast!”

I normally wasn’t so talkative. I wasn’t sure if it was the novelty of being young, or just being unused to a quiet side character. (Most of the characters I had lived as were stuck around main characters, who simply talked non-stop). Either way, I was pleased that he seemed to be listening carefully as I spoke, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards as I continued to praise Liam. He finished the fruit I gave him quickly and cleaned his hands and then mine with a handkerchief.

“Thank you.” The words were quiet, stilted, almost inaudible.

_DID HE JUST SPEAK?!!!_ Forcing myself not to show my excitement on my face, I patted him on the shoulder.

“No problem. You’re too skinny anyways. As your friend I need to fatten you up.”

He didn’t speak further, but a light shown in his eyes, a silent amusement that made me think that he might be laughing at me.

The elder arrived shortly after, and began teaching immediately on light magic.

“Light magic is the power of life itself, brought into a separate form by your own will.” As he spoke, a gentle light materialized above his hand, flowing in a circle. “The effect of your magic depends on how you direct it. You can course it through a body’s veins, and it will heal any injuries. Direct it along muscles and nerves and it will strengthen one’s strength and speed. “ 

The light changed into a shield in front of the older elf. “Spread it out into a wall, and it can protect one from physical and magical attacks.” The light condensed, becoming a brightly burning ball above his head. “And of course it can provide light and warmth, on the darkest and coldest of nights.”

I looked around the area. Most of the children weren’t paying close attention, drawing pictures in the dirt with sticks, watching bugs crawl over leaves and dirt. Besides me, the only one who seemed remotely interested in the lesson was K’llean, who stared at the elder elf with an intensity that was almost scary, as if trying to memorize every word he said.

Even the dark haired boy next to me seemed slightly bored, an almost silent sigh escaping him as he listened to the lecture, as if it had nothing to do with him.

_Didn’t the other children say he had dark magic? I guess this isn’t all that helpful for him._

I raised my hand. “What about dark magic?”

The elder, who had just concluded his lecture, looked surprised. “Why do you want to know?”

_Because it’s your job to teach your students?_ “I think it would be helpful to know.”

After a moment of silence, the elder shrugged. “Sure, why not. Dark magic works in a way similar to light magic but opposite as well. It can encase the skin, making it hard as stone, strengthening the wielder. It can blind opponents, cutting off their senses. It can also create barriers to protect from attacks. Light and dark magic repel each other, and cannot exist in the same space.”

I looked over and the dark haired boy was now leaning forward, his eyes wide with interest, staring intently at the elder as he spoke. As the lecture finished he turned to me with a grateful look in his eyes.

“It’s fine. It would be boring if he only ever talked about my magic and not my friend’s.” I smiled, ignoring the child’s shocked expression.

“Everyone! It’s time to practice manifesting your magic.” The elder spoke up waving his hand, the globe of light appearing once more. “Find your magic just as you’ve been taught, and then will it to appear in front of you.”

I focused inward; finding the light within me, happy to see that the growth I had managed yesterday in the cave had remained stable. After a moment’s consideration, I decided to only bring out a grapefruit-sized amount of magic out. The original size of my magic.

_It safer if no one knows I’m growing my magic._ Some in the village purely viewed me as a tool to protect the forest, some viewed me as a helpless child. I wasn’t sure what i was more worried about if they realized I was feeding my life force to grow my magic: that they might stop me... or that they might force me to try even harder, draining me beyond what i could bear. 

_Plus who knows if an idiot like K’llean might accidentally kill himself if he found out there was a cheat like this to get stronger._ It was a very delicate balance between efficient growth and not shortening my own life span. I didn’t want to accidentally fail the task if I gave up too much life energy, it might count it as sacrificing myself.

So being cautious, I pulled out the original sized magic ball, materializing it above my open palm.

“Wow!” One of the girls in the class called out, nearly breaking my concentration. Feeling irritated, I opened my eyes, only to realize that the whole class was staring at me in shock. The girl who called out pointed at me. “You have so much magic!”

At her words, I looked around. A few of the children had formed their own light balls, but the largest was the size of a marble.

_I guess this is what they meant by the priestess being talented. Wait until I cheat my way into even greater abilities!_ Forcing myself to keep my villainous laugh silent, I closed my eyes, trying to keep my focus on my magic.

“You’re really strong.”

At the quiet words I sighed. “Go away K’llean.”

“… I’m sorry.” The apology caught be by surprise. I opened my eyes again to see his guilty expression, his eyes filled with longing as he stared at the magic above my palm.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

K’llean pouted. “But I don’t like him.”

“Because he’s different?”

“… Because you like him more.” K’llean’s face was red, he stared at the ground, kicking the dust at his feet. “I’m the strongest. You should like me the best.”

“Idiot.”

K’llean and I both turned, shocked. The dark haired elf stared back at us, as if he wasn’t the one who just spoke up.

K’llean bit his lip, “You’re the idiot!”

I dispelled my magic, covering my face with my hands. “I’m surrounded by children.”

“Belaire… you’re a child too.” Ignoring the elder’s disconcerted mutterings, I patted K’llean on the shoulder.

“Look buddy. He called you an idiot because you keep making the same mistake. I don’t like people because of how strong they are. If you want to be my friend you have to be nice. Not just to me but to my friends.”

“But…”

“No buts. You don’t have to be nice to anyone. No one can force you. But don’t think I’ll be friends with someone who’s mean to others.”

I glanced over at the dark haired boy who was smirking. “That goes for you too. You don’t have to like him, he’s bullied you after all. But don’t think I’ll help you bully others either.”

His smile faded, but the amusement in his eyes didn’t leave. He nodded solemnly, then focused on his own hand. After just a moment a ball of dark magic, the same size that mine had been, formed over his hand. It seemed more… physical than my light magic had been, as if it were pushing on the boundaries of the physical world, distorting it. Feeling curious, I reached up my right hand, extending a finger to touch it.

“BELAIRE NO!”

The elder’s shout came too late; the tip of my finger touched the dark magic.

_Oh crap._

A pain, worse than anything I had ever felt before, came over my own hand. It was like sticking my hand in burning coals and freezing ice at the same time, while being electrocuted.

As I fell backwards onto the ground, my consciousness barely hanging on as I held my finger which was slowly turning black. _Isn’t this amount of pain a little excessive?_

_Maybe a magic story isn’t so great after all._

“BELAIRE!”

_Nah, it’s still better than being in high school again._ I made myself laugh, surprised when dark blood spit out of my mouth as it turned into a painful cough.

My vision was spinning. I could see K’llean kneeling nearby, his mouth open in a scream. The dark haired elf had backed away, a look of terror on his face. I wanted to reassure them, but it suddenly was becoming difficult to breathe.

“Belaire!” It was the elder. “Channel your magic through your veins.”

_But we haven’t covered how to do that in class yet?_ Complaining silently, I focused inwards, turning my magic into a stream, imagining it flowing through my blood vessels, moving throughout my whole body. The pain in my chest receded, the hand that been turning black resumed it’s usual color. My heartbeat slowing down, I gave a sigh of relief.

“Well, at least light magic is useful.”

The elder looked at me with a shocked expression, despite me simply having followed his instructions. “A true genius?”

I got up to my knees, taking a moment as the world spun around me. The dark haired boy was crying silently, staring at me with remorse. Reaching out to him, I pulled him into a tight hug, not surprised when he burst out into loud sobs.

“Sorry.” The crying word broke my heart, as I hugged him tighter.

“No, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have touched your magic. You didn’t do anything wrong!” Pulling back, I looked directly into his tear filled eyes, making sure he understood. “You understand me? It’s not your fault. I’m okay.”

Before he could say anything more, two small hands pulled me away from him, as K’llean threw himself in between us with an angry glare.

“You hurt her!”

“K’llean!”

“She’s all I have! You can’t hurt her!”

“Sorry.”

Now they both were crying. I rubbed my forehead, looking at the two sobbing boys with consternation. _I’m all K’llean has?_ I guess it made sense, after all, his parents were gone, he must have clung to the priestess the same way she had to him, seeing her as his family. _At least until the chosen one gets here._

I felt a pang of guilt as I stared at the crying elf. I had been so focused on what he had done wrong in the future, that I had forgotten that he was still just a child. Holding out my arms, I hugged both of them this time.

“I’m fine! I promise I won’t go around touching dark magic recklessly in the future.”

K’llean sniffed loudly. “When you marry me, I’ll protect you, and make sure you never get hurt like this again.”

“Idiot.” A quiet word was spoken from the other side of me.

“You’re the idiot! Is that the only word you know?”

“Imbecile.”

“YOU…!”

The elder finally spoke up, interrupting K’llean before he could start shouting again. “Alright children. Stop arguing and get back to practicing. Belaire, come with me and we’ll get you checked over to make sure you’re healed.

I followed the elder, and after being declared healthy and dark magic free, I went back to the cave from earlier, preparing to practice.

________________________________

I sat down, focusing. A light formed in front of me and slowly fed it my life energy. The orb grew slowly, almost imperceptibly. I held on as long as I could, but as I felt myself grow cold, sweaty and tired, I cut off the flow. Falling to the ground on my back, I gasped for air, covering my eyes with my hand.

“This is hard. Why couldn’t I have transported into a magical school novel instead and just waved a freaking wand?”

A cold touch on my face startled me. I moved my hand, my eyes staring directly into a pair of concerned dark blue ones.

“Liam?”

The shadow wolf watched me cautiously, then laid down on the ground, snuggling into my side. I reached out an arm, the movement slow from my lack of energy, hugged him.

“I’m so glad.” I sighed. “I thought I might not see you again.”

The wolf nudged my right hand, licking it.

_I wonder if it can sense that I touched dark magic?_

“It’s okay. I had a little accident but it’s all better now.” I stretched out my hand to show him. “See? Good as new.”

Liam watched my hand closely, and then nuzzled it again, before resting his furry head on my arm with a sigh.

________________________________

Three years passed. 

In class, I stayed by the dark haired boy’s side. I still hadn’t learned his name. When I asked he just stared at me silently. Talking to the elder or other adults in the village hadn’t helped. No one knew it. I didn’t want to just make up a name for him like I had the wolf, in the end, I simply avoided the issue. We shared food each day, and although he never spoke, his quiet, satisfied smile every time I ate something he brought never failed to make me feel happy.

_He was always careful to stay far away from me during practical lessons though._

At the end of class he would always run away, ignoring any invitations to spend time together after school. I would head to my cave alone and grow my magic with life energy. Once practice was over, Liam was always there, and would come home with me, guarding me as I rested through my exhausted state. He spend the night at my side, disappearing before I woke up, leaving food for me to eat in the morning behind. Between the two of them, I had pretty much every meal covered, no longer depending on the charity of the elder for my food.

I felt happy, the commonplace days healing my soul from the wounds I had gathered during my years on the battlefield in the zombie apocalypse.

There were just a few things that kept this world from being perfect:

First were the elder and the other adults in the village. Since discovering my talents the day I cleansed away dark magic poisoning, the way the treated me and spoke about me had slowly changed. Their initial concerns about my young age disappeared quickly, morphing into a strong desire to turn me into a perfect protector. Extra lessons, stricter teaching, constant reminders that I would need to choose a strong partner…

Their eyes showed their greed as they looked at me. Not as a person. Not as a child.

A shield. A tool.

_No wonder they abandoned the priestess so easily in the story._ I felt sick of their attitude, but my loud complaints had fallen on deaf ears. If it hadn’t been for the dark haired boy and the other elf children, I might have abandoned the village all together. At the very least I didn’t have to come in contact with them often, except for the elder they were all easily avoidable.

The other frustration was a little harder to escape from.

“BELAIRE!” K’llean shouted, waving a short sword with a proud grin. “WATCH ME!” He swung the weapon at a straw practice dummy, embedding it several inches deep. It was a strong attack, surprisingly good for his age and size.

It was during weapons training, which was given to us once a week as a break from magic training. I was sitting on the sideline, having been excused from weapons practice. The elder worried that it would distract me from my magic training, and was relieved when I told him I didn’t need it. The dark haired boy was also sitting at my side, catching his breath after tiring himself out quickly. I had noticed he had looked exhausted some mornings when he showed up to school, as if he had just run a marathon prior to coming. I had asked him about it, concerned, but he simply shook his head, assuring me he was fine without further explanation.

“Did you see that, Belaire? Did you see how strong I was?” K’llean jumped up and down in front of me, excited.

I gave him a thumbs up, smiling weakly. “Good job.”

K’llean had stuck by my side constantly, showing off, asking for compliments. I initially tried ignoring him, but then he looked like a kicked puppy, always leading me to giving in first. Fortunately he and the dark haired elf had seemed to reach some sort of agreement, and although you couldn’t really call them friends, they were at least not openly antagonistic.

But unfortunately….

“So you should agree to marry me! I’ll protect you much better than that…” he swallowed an insult after seeing my expression. “Than he can.”

K’llean was still obsessed with the idea that the strongest elf would be my spouse, not helped by the fact that the majority of the village’s elves had told him so.

I rolled my eyes, getting up to my feet. “I told you before, and I’ll say it again.” I reached out and took his sword, hefting it in my hand to feel the weight. “I won’t marry someone just because they are strong.”

“But…”

His words of complaint trailed off as I squared up in front of the practice dummy, taking a stance as familiar to me as breathing. My intense training in the assassin world, tempered by years of fighting in the zombie apocalypse, had perfected my sword skills. I pulled a tiny thread of magic along my muscles strengthening my weak childish arms to be able to support the blow, and casually swung the sword.

It smoothly moved, faster than the eye could follow, passing to the other side as if I had simply swung it through the air. Nothing seemed changed, until I reached out and touched the dummy, causing the top half to topple over, showing the clean cut I had made.

“I don’t need you to protect me.”

K’llean and the dark haired elf stared wide-eyed at the dummy as I walked away, heading to my cave to practice. Neither ever brought up sword fighting again, but more than once I caught them both secretly practicing before and after school, so perhaps it bothered them more than I had realized.

Over the three years I had adjusted to the priestess’ memories, and although I still felt painful sometimes, especially around K’llean, my efforts to become powerful seemed to have calmed down the inherited emotions.

My magic had grown well, from the size of a grapefruit to a globe about my height. I worked steadily, getting stronger each day, reveling in the feeling.

_I still have six years before my adult ceremony. No one even suspects how much stronger I’ve gotten. Everything is going as planned._

“Belaire?” K’llean’s shocked voice as he walked into the cave, seeing my large magic with a shocked expression.

_Crap._

__________________________________

K’llean and I stared at each other from across the cave. His expression showed his hurt feelings, mine revealed my frustration.

“You were getting stronger without me?” His voice was much quieter than I was used to, the pain in it making me wince with guilt.

_Toughen up. This is the cheating bastard you’re supposed to beat to complete the task._ I forced myself to ignore the sadness I saw. “Why should I have to help you get stronger?”

“…”

“No one is helping me. They just expect me to be strong, to protect the forest.” I sneered. “To marry whoever they tell me to. So why should I have to waste my time helping you get stronger?”

K’llean stared at me, dumbfounded. “Belaire…”

“No. You don’t get to make me feel guilty. You’re not the one they treat like a tool. If I’m not strong enough by the time I’m an adult, I will die.”

“What do you mean…?”

“There’s a prophecy.” _Close enough._ “The forest will be attacked, and I will have to sacrifice my life to save everyone.”

“NO!” He reached over and hugged me, his face filled with distress. “I won’t let that happen! I’ll do a life oath with you, give you my magic!”

I pushed him away gently. “No. You won’t.” Forcing a smile, I continued. “The prophecy shows your future too. You’ll find your soul mate, K’llean. A chosen one from another world. A beautiful human girl. You will both love each other and be together forever.”

K’llean sat back, shocked.

“So you can’t help me. I can only depend on myself. I’m feeding small amounts of my life energy to my magic to grow it bit by bit. It’s slow, but by the time the attack comes, I’ll be strong enough to save us all.”

“…”

“So you don’t have to worry…”

“No.” His voice was low, filled with an energy I couldn’t recognize. When I looked up at him, his gaze was intense, his bright green eyes filled with anger, obsession… madness.

“K’llean…”

“No. I don’t’ want some mysterious chosen one. I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”

I sighed. “You’re just a child, you don’t understand…”

“I understand, Belaire.” He stood up, and walked over, falling to his knees in front of my seated form. He had grown so much over the last three years, and even kneeling he towered over me in height. His hand reached out, the long fingers gently touching my hair. “You’re the one who doesn’t get it. You mean everything to me. You can’t be replaced by something as simple as a ‘soul mate’.”

_So genuine. If I didn’t have the priestess’ memories, I might even buy it. After all, she believed you… once._ I kept myself calm, blocking his hand. “You’ll change your mind once you find the true love of your life.”

He leaned back slightly, a small smile on his face. “We’ll see.”

**Grrr**

A dark form pushed K’llean away, crouching in front of me to guard me.

Liam.

K’llean rolled to his feet, drawing a long dagger he kept on his belt, cursing. “What’s a shadow wolf doing here?” He glanced at me, worried. “Belaire, slowly back away, I’ll keep it distracted.”

“K’llean…”

“GET TO SAFETY!” His voice was determined. “I’ll protect…”

He froze as I leaned over and hugged the wolf, pulling it against my side.

“This is Liam. He’s my friend.”

“…”

“…”

“Umm… Belaire?”

“Yes?”

“You realize that that is a… shadow monster right?”

“I think he’s adorable.”

He stared at the wolf, who looked back at him proudly, snuggling up against me as if to show off. Liam had grown as well over the past few years, and even that gentle movement was almost enough to knock me over.

“Don’t worry. He’s safe.” I grinned and hugged it closer.

K’llean frowned. “It’s… irritating. Almost as irritating as…” he trailed off glaring.

“Well, I’m gonna be practicing, so you can head out.”

I gave Liam a push, and the wolf reluctantly gave me some space, knowing that I was going to cast light magic.

“Nope.” K’llean sat down nearby, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. A bright ball of light, about the size of a basketball, formed in front of him.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting stronger.” He frowned, sweating. “Just a little life energy, huh?”

“Are you crazy? Don’t do that! I might have to take these risks but you don’t!”

“Didn’t you say our destinies aren’t connected?” He whispered, his face showing the strain of moving his life energy. “So you don’t have a say in what risks I take.”

“That…” He was right, in a way. At least he was no longer insisting we were going to get married. It was a step forward… in a way.

“Fine.” I looked over at Liam. “Will you be okay if I practice magic here?”

“Why are you talking to a shadow wolf?”

“Shut up.”

The wolf nodded, giving me plenty of space. I formed my magic, directing a thin thread of life energy towards it, watching Liam carefully to make sure he was safe. The shadow wolf seemed to pause, as if thinking something over, and then sat down, closing its eyes. To my shock a ball of dark magic formed in front of it, almost as large as my own.

“The wolf can do magic? Did you know that it could do that?” K’llean sounded angry, as he seemed to realize he was the weakest in terms of magical power, even compared to the animal.

“Of course I knew he could do that.” I lied through my teeth.

It might have been my imagination but it seemed as if Liam was laughing, it’s furry sides shaking as it stared at me with a look of amusement.

I stared at the magic in front of him, then stared at the familiar dark blue eyes, a realization coming over me, the blood draining from my face from shock rather than from the loss of life energy.

_It can’t be…_

I looked at the shadow wolf, my mind racing, and then resolutely turned towards my magic globe in front of me.

_I’m gonna pretend that this wasn’t right in front of my face the whole time, and keep my mouth shut._

But I couldn’t help a smile forming as I practiced magic side by side with Liam and K’llean.

_This world… might be my favorite one yet._


	8. Fantasy World 4

“You only have six months left before your adult ceremony, Belaire.” 

The elder, the village healer and the head warrior were all present, solemn expressions on their faces. “You have to make a decision about your future partner.”

They had called me into the gathering hut, the largest structure at the village center. In an obvious attempt to instill on me the seriousness of the conversation, the older elves were seated on carved wooden thrones on an elevated platform, while I was made to stand below. If I was really a naïve teenager, it might have made me feel nervous. The priestess, with her quiet personality, might have nodded and gone along with what they said.

But unfortunately for them, my soul was in charge, and I wasn’t impressed.

I was also tired of the years of their manipulations, their overconfidence that they could force me onto the path they dictated. I had put up with it for so long while I was still attending lessons, while they were still useful, but now…

I met their stares head on, waving a hand. A seat made out of light magic formed, lifting me up to the just a slightly higher height compared to the other elves. I leaned against the arm of the magic formed throne and crossed my legs casually, smiling at them as their faces turned an interesting shade of purple.

_All right, this might have been a little bit overdramatic, but it is so worth it. Man, I really want to villain-laugh right now._

“I’m well aware of when my adult ceremony is, dear elders.” My smile turned cold. “What I don’t understand is why you think it’s any of your damn business who I choose as a partner, or whether I choose one at all.”

“BLASPHEMY!” The healer shouted, her eyes filled with anger. “You are our priestess, it is your duty to make a life oath and protect our forest with the combined magic.”

“Oh shush.”

“You must marry K’llean! He is the strongest warrior in the village…”

“Only because you haven’t seen me fight.”

“And he has the strongest magic after you. He is the best candidate.” The healer’s arrogant stance irritated me, and I waved a hand, a shield of light magic covering her mouth, leaving only the muffled sounds of screams of rage.

“I said hush.” 

Sighing, I sat back in my chair, forming a ball of magic and throwing it up and down. Seeing me control three separate forms of light magic simultaneously, the elves turned pale with shock. I ignored them, continuing to speak. 

“I’ve already told you idiots multiple times: K’llean’s fate is tied to a human sorceress, a Chosen One from the prophecies. They will fall in love and side by side save the world, not just this one forest. To force me to marry him is to force me to death.” I paused, chuckling. “Not that you weaklings could force me to do anything I didn’t want to.”

“Belaire…” The elder’s voice had a tone of warning to it. I silenced him with magic too, and the warrior for good measure.

“Nope. Push me too hard and I’ll abandon all of you and the forest with you. And as the Dark Lord and his army feed on the corpses of your loved ones and your children I hope you remember one little thing:” I leaned forward, catching the ball of light in my hand and crushing it into nothingness. “I. Told. You. So.”

“…” The three stared at me with terror in their eyes, unable to speak with my magic covering their mouths.

“Do you have anything else you’d like to complain about?”

“…”

“I’ll take your silence as agreement.” I was about to dispel my magic, but before I could…

“BELAIRE, ARE YOU OKAY?!” Two young elves ran into the building, weapons in hand, and determined looks on their faces. They skidded to a stop, staring up at me with a confused expression as I waved down at them from my elevated magical throne.

“Hey boys, did you come to rescue me?” I waved a hand, removing my magic and falling through the air.

The dark haired elf gasped, rushing forward and catching me in his arms before I hit the ground. I leaned my head on his shoulder, grinning up at him.

“Thanks, friend.” I had another name for him, of course, but he didn’t know that. So even in my head he was just “the dark haired elf”… at least for now.

He frowned in response, a slightly worried expression on his face. “Idiot. Don’t take risks.” Over the years he had slowly upgraded from single word insults to almost full sentences, although he still rarely spoke. 

I reached out, patting his cheek. “I wouldn’t have let myself fall if I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t get hurt.”

“…” He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

“I knew you would catch me.”

At my words he looked away, his pointed ears turning bright red. I laughed, feeling a sense of relief after the unpleasant discussion with the elders.

“Well, we did come to help you, but it looks like we’re a little too late… Now that I think about it, I’m not sure who we’re actually saving by interrupting.” K’llean looked up at the elders who were still gagged with magic before glancing at us both with a frown. “Could you put her down? It’s not like her legs are broken!”

I was set down, stepping away and staring at my would-be rescuers. They had grown up well over the last few years, both towering over me in height, their childish faces losing the baby fat and settling into more mature handsome features. The height was the only similarity they shared however; in every other aspect they were practically polar opposites.

K’llean’s long blond hair hung loosely at his back, with a few front segments braided. His bright green eyes were more serious now, as he stared at the mess I had created with a concerned expression on his face. He had become more muscular, a large sword strapped across his back.

It was definitely a change from my character’s memories, which had him favoring a more slender blade, with a leaner frame to wield it. He had definitely gone all out in training in swordsmanship, possibly due to my bad habits of shattering his pride every time he tried to show off his skills.

The dark haired elf, on the other hand, had quickly given up on swordplay, realizing that he didn’t seem to have any talent for it. Instead he favored a bow, carrying one with him at all times. His black hair was kept cropped short and out of the way, his often expressionless face difficult to read if not for the amused light that seemed to permanently reside in his dark blue eyes. He watched me carefully now, seeming relieved that I didn’t look hurt or upset.

“So why did you find it necessary to muzzle the elders, Belaire?” K’llean asked, sighing as he looked up at the older elves once more.

I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall. “They were annoying.”

“It has to be more than that.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because when you find someone annoying, you verbally eviscerate them until they can’t speak any more nonsense.” He shuddered. “You’d never be so kind as to simply silence someone with magic. Look at those lucky bastards with their intact egos and souls!”

“You sound bitter.”

“Give me back my carefree childhood!”

The dark haired elf showed the slightest hint of a smile. “Idiot.” 

“You’re no better! Your one-liners are just as awful!” Sighing, he turned back to me. “So what did those idiots do that made you angry enough to use magic on them? You know you can always just ignore whatever they say…”

“They were insisting I marry you.”

“Like I was saying, they are our wise, respected elders, and should always be listened to, Belaire.”

“Pathetic.”

K’llean glared at the dark haired elf. “Oh shut up, like you wouldn’t take any advantage you could get.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. K’llean had changed a lot over the years. He was a little quieter, more thoughtful than the loud snot-nosed brat he had been. Many of the young elves looked up to him as a leader, and although he complained frequently about it, he spent a good amount of time teaching and helping them. I saw him stop them from bullying the weaker elves many times. Overall he seemed to have developed some greater self-insight and better moral standards from the priestess’ memories of him.

Not that he wasn’t still annoying sometimes.

“So I’m going to assume you silenced the elders with magic out of your joy and excitement at the prospect of marrying me?”

I rolled my eyes. “How does it feel to be so deep in denial?”

“An elf can dream. Don’t you dream about me?” He tried to step closer, smiling flirtatiously, but immediately fell flat on his face, as the dark haired elf watched on with an innocent expression, as if he hadn’t just extended his leg to trip him.

“Seriously?” K’llean glared at his attacker. “I was talking to Belaire!”

“Your face was annoying.”

“Then don’t look at it!” he turned back to me. “You don’t think my face is annoying, right?”

I looked away, “Oh gee, is it already this late in the day?”

“You both are so mean!”

“Agreed!” I smiled, patting his blond head. “Well, I’m glad you guys came, one of the forest fairies found an old temple with a dark artifact in the deep forest, and I wanted to go check it out.”

“A dark object?” K’llean immediately put away his (mostly) exaggerated look of distress and stood up, brushing the dirt off of his clothes. “Is it something from the prophecy?”

“It’s hard to say.” The story and the priestess’ memories gave me a hazy picture of a glowing amulet that the Dark Lord used in the stories, one that corrupted all magic around it. The villain in the original story had used it to gather and strengthen demons and monsters, the army whose attack led to the priestess sacrificing her life.

_I had given up hope of finding it, since there’s only a little over a year until the attack in the story. The timeline of the attack was clearly six months after the priestess and K’llean get married, 3 months after the arrival of the Chosen One. I figured the Dark Lord would already have the artifact… but the forest fairies seem pretty certain it hasn’t been touched. If it is what I think it is… and we can get rid of it before the Dark Lord can obtain it._

I looked seriously at the two young elves in front of me. “This might be dangerous… it might not even be what I hope it is… But I think it may give us a chance to protect the forest, and I have to take this risk. You don’t have to come…”

“Coming.” The dark haired elf reached out and briefly rubbed my head, and then looked away embarrassed.

K’llean stepped forward as well. “Yeah, like this jerk said. Don’t even think about leaving without us.”

_It’s good to have friends._

I grinned at them. “Thanks.”

As we turned to walk out, K’llean paused, tapping on my shoulder. “Umm, Belaire? Are you gonna let them go?” He pointed at the elders, who were still struggling with light magic plastered over their mouths.

“Oops.” I waved a hand, dissolving the magic, while speaking cheerfully. “Thanks for the lovely visit! If you ever try to force me to marry someone again I’ll destroy you and everyone you care about!”

The elder’s faces were pale with fear as I shut the door behind us, laughing.

K’llean shook his head. “Wasn’t that a little harsh?”

“She’s too nice.” The dark haired elf frowned.

“What would you do? Beat them up?” He looked at the other elf silently for a few moments and then shook his head. “Nevermind, forget I asked. I’ll just end up giving you ideas.”

_________________________

We packed for the journey and set out. As we followed the path, one of the forest fairies flew over, landing on my shoulder.

“Priestess!” The creature that looked like a miniature-sized elf smiled up at me, her violet wings flapping behind her, the flower petals that made her clothing fluttering around her. “Can we play?”

I smiled gently, using a fingertip to strong the fairy’s purple hair. “Sorry Violet, duty calls. First I have to track down the artifact.”

The fairy shuddered. “Are you sure? It’s scary.”

“Don’t worry about the Priestess, little fairy!” K’llean grinned handsomely. “I’ll protect her!”

The fairy stared back at the elf with an unimpressed expression. “Well, at least she has the dark elf with her. So its not all _dead weight_.”

K’llean looked close to tears. “Did that dark haired idiot bribe you? Why are you only nice to him?”

“He brings us sweets!” Violet grinned, “And he makes the priestess happy!”

“And I don’t?”

“You called us flies!”

“That was when I was nine!”

“You did it last week to little Daffodil!”

“He poured honey in my clothes!”

I stepped in on the increasingly loud argument. “Children! No fighting or I’ll separate you!”

“He started it!”

“She started it!”

The two pointed at each other and shouted simultaneously.

“I will turn this world-saving expedition around and bring you two home! Is that what you want?”

“…No.”

“Then it’s quiet time until we make camp tonight.”

Violet stuck out her tongue, but nodded, flying ahead. I rubbed my forehead, falling back to walk beside the dark haired elf.

“I’m too young to be dealing with this many children.”

He gingerly patted my shoulder. “There, there.”

“I feel like you’re patronizing me.”

“… never.”

I sighed. “Never mind. Just be careful ahead, okay?” At his curious glance I added. “This artifact has a strong corrupting influence, it might gravitate towards your dark magic. It might try to overwhelm you, take control.”

He nodded seriously. “I’ll be careful. But it won’t be a problem.”

“Really? What makes you so confident?”

“I won’t let myself do anything that would put you in danger.” His dark gaze stayed on my own. “Never. I’ll die first.”

I shuddered, reaching out a hand to cover his mouth. “Please, don’t talk about dying.” I remembered Liam in the last world saying he could die happily, shortly before being killed. _My heart couldn’t take it again._ “You have to live, okay?”

He reached out, grabbing the hand that was over his mouth and holding it gently. “I’ll promise if you do.”

“Great! We’ll protect each other.” I felt a direct gaze on our interlocked hands from the side, but I ignored it.

“We’ll rest here.”

We set up camp for the night, and once we were done K’llean jumped to his feet, grabbing his sword. “Come on, dark magic freak, let’s go duel!”

The dark haired elf sighed, picking up his bow and standing up as well.

“Have fun.” I closed my eyes, circulating my magic, feeling the limits of my power with a frown. As I concentrated I felt a soft tug on my sleeve, and slightly opened my eyelids to peer down at the culprit.

“Yes, Violet?”

“They’re fighting!”

“I know.”

“Isn’t that bad?”

“This is their usual routine, just ignore them.”

K’llean spoke up. “Yeah, it’s either this guy or that dirty, smelly shadow mutt.” He dodged an arrow that narrowly passed by his ear. “What? Does it make you mad when I talk bad about that mangy dog? Who knows where its been! It’s probably got fleas.”

A flurry of arrows followed after the elf as he laughed, dodging. As his opponent reloaded, K’llean rolled on the ground, coming up close and swinging his sword in a wide arc, forcing the dark haired elf to flip backwards to avoid the attack.

“What if they actually get hurt?”

I shrugged. “They’re too evenly matched for that.”

“Then who is the strongest?” The fairy asked naively.

“Belaire.”

“Belaire.”

“Me.”

We all answered her at the same time. K’llean shuddered. “Don’t even remind me. I tried challenging her two months ago after defeating the village’s top warrior…”

“You lost?”

The dark haired elf laughed loudly. “Pulverized.”

K’llean glared. “Shut up. You’re too chicken to even challenge her.”

“Too smart.”

Feeling tired, I stood up. “I’m going to go bathe in the stream. You boys have fun here.” I turned slightly to the fairy. “If either of them head over to peek, feel free to shock them with magic.”

Both boys stared at me in shock.

“You have nothing to worry about if you don’t have bad thoughts.” With a grin I headed off to clean off the dirt from the trip.

_________________________

When I came back the camp was quiet. The two elves were laying on their backs, looking exhausted, just barely holding onto their weapons. I saw a few minor cuts and bruises but fortunately no major injuries. Just as I was about to announce myself, however, K’llean sat up, staring with frustration as he spoke up.

“Why can’t you give up?”

The dark haired elf refused to look at him. “I won’t.”

“You can’t marry her. You aren’t qualified.”

“…”

“No matter how much you care for her, you have dark magic.” He waved a hand and a globe of light formed, floating in front of the dark haired elf, forcing him to lean away from it. “You can’t even touch light magic, much less perform a life oath and combine your power with her.”

The dark blue eyes reflected the light from the spell, his face expressionless.

“So it’s better if you don’t give her false hope. You may not like me, but I’m a better option for her than anyone else in that village. They see her as a tool. But I… I love her.”

“Shut up.”

“But even if you love her, even if she cares about you, all you will do is destroy everything she has tried to protect. If she’s important to you, then you wouldn’t put her in that position.”

“SHUT UP!” With a cry of rage, he got up and ran into the forest, his form blurring as he raced out of sight.

I stepped into the camp, my face grim. K’llean, seeing me, panicked.

“Belaire, I…”

**SLAP!**

A handprint formed on his fair skin as his face snapped to the side, his eyes wide as he turned back to look at me. I rubbed my slightly sore hand, glaring.

“I won’t marry you.”

“Belaire…”

“I have never once given you any hope that I would do so. I have always been clear with you. Why do you still insist on this? On binding us together?”

His eyes were flat and unfocused. “Was anything I said wrong? You can’t choose him.”

“I’ll choose whoever I want, K’llean. I’ll choose no one if I decide on that. But I promise you one thing.” I reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling his face close to mine. “I won’t choose you.”

He pulled away. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. I won’t give you up to anyone.

“I already told you that your soul mate is…”

“She’s not my soul mate. She can’t be.” He reached out, trying to grab my hand but I avoided his touch. “You are mine! You are my destiny.”

I stepped backwards. “Even if that were true, then I would reject that fate.”

**_You must accept your fate._ **

I seemed to hear a voice deep in my consciousness, somewhere untouched and hidden in the depth of my soul. A memory, just the smallest hint of a fragment, making it’s way out. Excited, I tried to chase it down, to remember something more, but before I could focus it had faded away to nothingness.

_What is my fate? What was so terrible that I rejected it, condemning myself to this life of traveling between worlds without memory?_

As I struggled with my thoughts, I barely registered K’llean’s face that had become more and more gloomy.

“You can’t avoid it.” Whispering this final sentence, he walked out into the forest as well, leaving me alone.

_________________________

I followed the path that the dark haired elf had taken, coming to a cave in a deeper part of the forest. I could see a hint of light shining within it. As I stepped closer, I heard one of the forest fairies, Daisy, speak up.

“Are you sure?”

“…” There was no answer, but the light in the cave grew stronger. I stepped in, holding back a gasp at the scene in front of me.

A light spell hung in the air a foot of the ground, the glowing orb illuminating the gruesome sight.

Liam was on the ground, his fur singed in multiple places, blue blood dripped from his snout and paws onto the ground, forming small puddles that sizzled in the light.

Without a whimper, he struggled to his feet, his dark blue eyes determined. With a quick move he stepped closer. Before I could call out, the light spell came into contact with the fur at his chest.

A sizzling sound filled the air of the cave, along with the smell of burnt fur.

_He was trying to force his body to fuse with the light magic._

“LIAM, NO!” At my cry, Liam looked up, his gaze slightly unfocused from the pain. But instead of stepping away, he stepped closer, the flesh over his heart charring.

I rushed forward, pushing him back, throwing my arms around the wounded shadow wolf.

“Idiot. Idiot.” I muttered, over and over, my hands smoothing out his remaining fur, avoiding the wounds. I waved a hand, shooing away the slightly sheepish daisy fairy. “Circulate your dark magic now.”

“…” He stared at me silently, still defiant.

“Liam, I’m not joking. Circulate your dark magic and heal your wounds. This won’t help anyone.”

“…” With a long sigh, a dark fog surrounded the wolf. I sat back, keeping my hands away, my skin feeling a chill from the nearness of the dark magic. Once he was healed, the exhausted wolf lay down on the ground, his heavy head placed in my lap. I pet his ears, venting my frustrations.

“Did you think I would praise you for hurting yourself, dummy? You ARE dark magic, touching the light won’t allow you to adjust to it, or have stronger resistance to it, it will only poison you.”

The look of hopelessness he gave me at those words caused a pain in my chest, and I hugged his head tightly.

“I won’t throw you away because you have dark magic. So don’t abandon me in such a careless way.”

I felt him nod, heaving a sigh of relief. As I held him close, my mind touched on the problem that had been on my mind since my discovery six years ago, and the problem of light and dark magic.

_I’m powerful, much more than the priestess ever was. If I can get the artifact and stop the Dark Lord from rising, then my power alone would definitely be more than enough. Then it wouldn’t matter if there’s no life bond._

After a while I left Liam behind and returned to camp, soon joined by the two other elves. The three of us, now calmed, came up with a watch schedule. After taking the first shift and trying to fall asleep, a cold nose and furry form burrowing into my bedroll surprised me. Smiling, I rested my head on his warm side. Liam the shadow wolf had stayed with me all these years, sleeping in the same bed, eating dinner together, sharing a home. It would have been hard to fall asleep without him.

“Goodnight Liam.”

_________________________

The next day we arrived at the old, crumbling temple within the deep forest. As I stared at the dark shadows that hid the secrets within the open doorway, I turned to the two elves by my side.

“There will likely be shadow monsters and worse within. I will take and imprison the artifact with magic. You two watch my back?”

They both nodded in agreement.

“Don’t worry, you have the village’s second and third strongest warriors watching over you!” K’llean’s silly grin was slightly disconcerting after our serious conversation last night. _Perhaps he had put it behind him?_ I turned to the dark haired elf, who briefly touched my head.

“We’ll protect you.”

“Thank you.”

At their words I turned back to the temple, taking a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

_It was worse than I thought it would be._

As we crossed the threshold, dozens of beasts sprung up from the shadows, their eyes glowing red. In every misshapen, twisted form imaginable their bodies seems to twist reality around them, painful to look upon. They let out cries of rage, the sound burying itself into my soul, and moved towards us. K’llean and the dark haired elf drew their weapons, and with a thought a sword of light magic formed in my hand.

I leapt forward, the sword leaving a trail of light as I swung it through a beast with nine arms and six eyes. It fell to pieces on the floor, the small splashes of black blood burning as they came in to contact with my skin. I purified the area with magic and hit another creature with the backswing, continuing to move. It became a dance, I wove between the attacking claws and teeth, using my sword to carve a bloody desperate path through the steps downward into the earth, deep into the darkness. I could hear cries all around me, and though I couldn’t see them, I knew my companions were fighting by my side.

I raised a hand, and from my palm a large wall of light bloomed, filling the stairs downward, shooting forward and burning everything in its path. The large magic drained me, but I continued forward, maintaining the weapon in my hand. Finally we made it down to the bottom, the artifact hovered in the air, trapped in a shadowy beam. I felt my skin crawl as I moved closer, my hands shaking as my soul rejected a source of such concentrated dark magic.

The amulet itself was not impressive, a small black jewel with an attached delicate chain. The setting of the jewel appeared to be a curious dark metal carved in the shape of a bony hand, as if death itself clutched onto it. As my eyes centered on the jewel, however, I heard a sinister whispering in my ears.

_**Give in. You’ll be given everything you want.** _

A sense of longing filled me, almost paralyzing me in place.

_**I sense your fear and desperation. You are controlled by a fate you do not understand. Forced to wander, never to return home. Named but nameless, loved but loveless. You have a destiny but you have destroyed it, and so it destroys you.** _

I tried to shake my head but it was too difficult to move.

_**If you give in, if you free me, I will help you. No one will control you. You can gain the knowledge hidden from you. Take back what was stolen.** _

It was reading my heart, my deepest desires and offering them to me so easily. My chest hurt as I tried to breathe, tears forming in my eyes.

_I knew it was lying. Heaven help me, I knew it._

But I wished more than anything that it was telling the truth.

A cool hand covered my eyes, breaking my line of sight.

“Don’t look.” A familiar voice whispered in my ears, the scent of the forest, of rain and fog clinging to him. I let his hand stay in place, my tears soaking the palm of his hand.

“It’s okay. We promised to protect each other.” His voice was quiet but reassuring, calming the panic within me.

I smiled lifting his hand off my eyes. “Step back.”

I gathered my power, and a globe of light formed around the amulet, imprisoning it. As I heard a silent scream of rage, the light solidified, becoming hard like amber, the jewel, and the corrupting spirit inside, trapped within my magic.

“K’llean, can you store that in your bag? We’ll take it back to the village until I can figure out how to destroy it. “

“S-sure.” His face pale, he stuffed the trapped amulet into his sack without looking at his. His gaze was distracted, his hands trembling, letting go of the item as soon as possible, as if it were poison.

_I wonder what it offered them?_

Before I could consider it too closely, however, we heard a scream of fear outside the temple.

Running outside, I saw a slender figure in a white gown kneeling on the ground, sobbing in terror as a group of shadow monsters moved in to attack. Without a need for further discussion, K’llean and I rushed in with our swords, while the dark haired elf stepped back, shooting arrows from the side. As my sword pierced the head of the last beast, I used light magic to burn to blood that threatened to drip down on the still crying girl.

_Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?_

I stared down at the beautiful girl dressed in white, whose copper-colored hair curled gently around her delicate face, even her crying didn’t detract from her beauty, her blue eyes wet with tears as she met my gaze.

_I know that face from the priestess’ memories._

“T-thank you for saving me! I’m Stella.” Her face showed her surprise, as she looked us over more carefully. “Are you… elves?” She glanced at K’llean, her face blushing. “Wow.”

_Stella._

_The Chosen One._

I sighed quietly. “You’re early.”

The heroine had arrived to the story.


	9. Fantasy World 5

_Just my luck to meet the heroine early._

Deep within me, I felt a burst of resentment that wasn’t my own. _I guess the Priestess’ emotions aren’t completely gone._

Despite my raging emotions, I kept my face neutral, reaching out to help the heroine, Stella to her feet.

“I was not expecting to find a human out here in the woods. Did you get separated from your party?”

She nodded. “I got lost. I’m sure they are very worried. Could you help me find them?”

_“…” Can I not?_

Stella eyes were fixed on K’llean again. Blushing, she moved closer, tucking her long hair behind her ear shyly. “You are my heroes, I can only depend on you to help me.“

“…” _Why does this feel like an annoying NPC side quest?_

Stalling for time, I glanced over to see my companions’ reactions. The dark haired elf had barely looked at the girl before studying me with concern, seeming to have noticed my emotional fluctuations. He stepped closer, his hand pausing just a few inches away from my own, looking ready to pull me away from the heroine at a moment’s notice.

 _Does he think she’s a danger to me?_ I found this funny given how fragile she looked, although it was probably wasn’t a bad idea to be cautious around the heroine of a story.

His reaction was within my expectations, however, as he was suspicious of everyone. The real question was how K’llean was going to react to his future lover.

“…” He stared at her silently, his face expressionless.

_That… doesn’t seem to be a look of love at first sight._

To be fair, the priestess wasn’t around when they met in the story, maybe he fell for her through their interactions?

A part of me couldn’t help but wonder if the story had changed too much, and that he wouldn’t be interested in her at all.

After a long pause, K’llean nodded slowly. “We can help you.”

_Ooh, maybe he does like her._

Although I knew the Priestess had been betrayed in a previous life, in this one K’llean was single and okay to fall in love with the heroine. _In fact, it would make my life easier if he did._ I didn’t wait too long to express my agreement. 

“Yeah we can take you back to your group.”

Stella smiled, the expression lighting up her beautiful face. “Thank you!” She seemed to be speaking to all of us, but directed her words solely at the male lead. Her dainty hand reached out as if to grab his arm. “I was so afraid on my own, you have no idea…”

K’llean stepped to the side, causing her hand to grasp the empty space left behind, and then walked forward as if he had never noticed her motion towards him. “Let’s get moving.”

 _Did he… just avoid touching the heroine?_ I had a bad feeling again, as I cleaned my blade and sheathed it, urging the young woman forward. “Stella, do you have anything from your companions?”

She continued staring at K’llean’s back, not answering me. Her face contorted into a expression of disbelief, rage, and embarrassment. The baring of these dark emotions lasted only for a brief second, before being replaced with a gentle smile once more as she turned towards me. “I’m sorry, I was being absentminded, what did you say?”

 _Scary._ I forced a smile, scooting backwards slowly to put some distance between us. “Do you have an item from anyone in your party? Something that might have their scent?”

“Of course.” Her bright smile didn’t reach the swirling anger in her eyes. She reached into her dress, pulling out a small piece of cloth. It was carefully embroidered, with small hearts sewn into the corners. “This is from Matthias, he’s a human warrior.”

I raised an eyebrow. _So dainty for a warrior… obviously a love token_

Before I could respond she brought two other items out. “This gem was from G’ralt the dwarf, and this bracelet is from Prince Henry.”

I took a flawless sapphire and a delicately made golden bracelet. _Wow, these are all high quality gifts, she has quite a few impressive suitors… including a prince?_ I shook my head as I thought of how little emotion she showed while passing off their presents. _Poor secondary male leads, just like all love goes to the heroine, her love is only for the hero._

Said “hero,” however, was still ignoring Stella, having walked almost out of sight in a random direction.

“As much as I love the enthusiasm, K’llean, we don’t know which way to go yet.” I called out, causing him to come a halt.

Looking distracted, K’llean turned, frowning at me. “I know where I’m going.”

“… Your confidence is inspiring.”

“Idiot.”

“Shut up you two!” K’llean turned red as the dark haired elf and I voiced our disbelief. He walked back, standing in between us. “I’m not in the mood to be ganged up on…”

“Then why do you make it so easy?”

“DON’T BULLY HIM!” Stella’s angry shout startled all of us into silence. She stepped in front of K’llean, as if protecting him, her fist raised up in a threatening gesture. “He’s just trying to help me, how dare you stand in his way?”

“…” _This is the girl you cheated on the priestess with?_ I felt slightly disappointed. Given how kind and selfless the Priestess had been in the story, part of me had assumed that at least the heroine must have been amazing to have led her loved ones away.

_But she just seems like the worst type of heroine, self-righteous and self-important._

“Don’t worry, Stella. We’re friends. We’re just teasing him.” I took a deep breath and explained calmly.

Her eyes blazed with righteous fury. “Friends wouldn’t be so mean!”

_Please no friendship speech, I’ve heard so many, I really can’t take another one…._

“Friendship is helping and supporting one another no matter what…”

 _DANGIT!_ I stepped forward, smiling while interrupting what was promising to be a awe-inspiring talk on the importance of friends.

“Yes, yes, thank you, Stella. Friendship was the true magic all along, and we’ll be kind and hold each other’s hands and make flower crowns later. But first…” I dumped the three items into the dark-haired elf’s arms. “You find out which direction they are.”

“… How?”

 _I already told her to give me things with their scent on them! What’s with this innocent “there’s nothing I can do” expression?! Does he really want me to spell it out for him?_ I pushed him into the woods. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“But…”

“Go. Fetch.”

I let out a sigh of relief as he followed instructions, before coming to the uncomfortable realization that I was now alone with the male and female leads of the story.

_Great, now I get to be the third wheel._

I glumly remembered a high school drama world five or six worlds ago when I had been locked in a sports equipment shed with the hero and heroine of the story. They had confessed their true feelings and started kissing, completely forgetting about my awkward intrusion on the romantic moment.

_Although to be fair, singing show tunes and juggling baseballs was probably not the best coping mechanism at the time._ _Still funny though._

Stella was still raging. “Why are you making all these decisions without consulting me! If you knew how important I was…” She trailed off, obviously wanting to declare her position as the Chosen One, but hesitating. “Either way, you are mean and rude, and should apologize!”

She leaned closer to K’llean, obviously seeking his approval and comfort. I glanced over as well, interested to see his reaction.

_If they start kissing, should I try juggling again? It’s been a while, I’m sure my skills are rusty… but there is some fruit in my bag I could try with…_

I was lost in my thoughts, so it took a few moments before I noticed something was wrong. A sense of danger, a murderous aura, hung in the air. Confused, I looked around for the source of the threat. Stella had started crying prettily, pausing every once and a while to check and see if K’llean had noticed her distress, so it didn’t seem to be coming from her…

Then… before I could turn towards him, K’llean walked away, his back to us. I noticed his fists were clenched at his sides, his whole body tense, as if he was restraining himself. The air around him seemed frozen with rage, causing me to shiver and take a step back.

_Is he mad that I made the heroine cry? Or is it something else?_

Before I could try to talk to him, I heard Stella mutter next to me, her dark angry whispers nearly inaudible.

“Not fair… Chosen One… everyone should love me…”

_OOOkay… somebody help… the male and female leads are super creepy in this world right now. Weren’t they supposed to have a cute fluffy romance? Although I guess it was always somewhat angsty even in the original story given the fact that one of them was married…_

_But still, this atmosphere is terrifying… I almost would prefer it if they were making out._

I startled whistling uncomfortably, kicking idly at a stone on the ground, causing both of them to look at me. I felt even more awkward under their direct stare.

_Okay, if he doesn’t come back soon, we’re resorting to juggling!_

Before I could start panicking too much, the dark haired elf ran out from the trees. “Found the right direction.” He panted a bit as he spoke, obviously out of breath. 

I reached out and patted his head, smoothing out his hair, having to stretch up on my tiptoes to reach. “Thank you. “

In reply he smiled, obviously happy with the praise. The contrast from his typically stoic expression was too much, forcing me to look away, feeling flustered. Out of the corner of my eye I could see K’llean glaring at us both silently. 

Putting aside my own embarrassment, I gave Stella back her discarded suitors’ gifts. “Well, now that we have a direction, let’s go!”

______________________________

Traveling with the heroine was difficult.

“I need a break!”

I gritted my teeth. “We just took a break thirty minutes ago.”

“My feet hurt!” Stella sat on a tree stump, her arms folded over her chest. Her eyes darted over to K’llean, who stood with his back to her. “ You need to be more understanding! I’m… not from around here. I’m not used to traveling like this.” She danced around the whole “transported from another world” part, making yet another bid for sympathy in our group, without much success.

I was, at least, able to summon up a partially sympathetic smile, even if it was only to mask my growing impatience. The dark haired elf seemed wary of her, staying close to me as if to protect me from her, treating her more like a terrifying beast than a crying girl. And K’llean…

I couldn’t quite pin down _what_ his reaction was. Each time she whined and made demands he obediently stopped for a break, his eyes quietly studying her as if trying to figure something out. But he didn’t say anything comforting, or made any moves to make her life easier.

“I wonder if my party is okay.” Stella worried out loud, still staring at K’llean.

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about that.”

“Why not?”

“Because at the rate we’re traveling, you and they will have died of old age long before we ever reach their camp.”

“Why are you so mean?!”

 _Oh great, she’s crying again._ “Can you put some of the energy into walking instead of tears?”

She cried even harder at my words. I took a deep breath, feeling sorry. She is just a poor girl who was suddenly transported into another world. I should be more understanding…

“You’re just jealous of me!”

_Is it too late to just leave her behind?_

I sighed heavily, sitting down across from her, resigned to the fact that we were taking yet another break. “Jealous of what exactly?”

“You hate me because I’m the Chose…” She paused, swallowing her words nervously.

_Why is Stella hiding the fact that she’s the Chosen One from the prophecies? I wonder if her companions warned her to do so._

_She looks like she’s ready to burst from wanting to say it._

To my surprised she apparently controlled the urge to broadcast her role as heroine, leaning back with a sulking look.

“You’ll regret not treating me better.”

“Promise?”

She ignored me, turning towards K’llean. “I’m hungry!”

“Fine.” Too lazy to get up, I opened K’llean’s bag with light magic, wrapping it around one of the fruits inside and tossing it to her.

“Hey that’s mine!”

Ignoring K’llean’s cry of rage, Stella studied the fruit in her hand with astonishment.

“Why does your magic glow like that?”

“It’s light attribute.” I smiled, forming my magic into a ball and rolling it between my hands. “Everyone naturally leans towards certain elements, which shows in the color of their magic. For the most part, the elves from our village have light attribute magic.”

“Not everyone.” K’llean grinned meanly, his eyes on the dark haired elf. The elf in question acted as if he couldn’t hear him, his gaze focused on the light magic in my hands with a hopeless expression. Seeing this, I quickly extinguished the magic in my hands. _I should have just ignored her question._

“Can you change your attribute?” Not recognizing the awkward atmosphere, Stella kept asking the worst questions.

K’llean was happy to answer this one. “No. Magic is a fixed entity. From the time you were born the amount of magic and the type of magic was already set in stone. This can never be changed.”

I frowned. _There’s something wrong with what he said._ Before I could think about it too closely, however, I was distracted by the dark haired elf, who stood up and disappeared into the woods, his face grim.

“What’s wrong with him?” Stella asked.

“Nothing.” I stood up. “Time for us to get moving again.”

“But we just stopped.”

“And now we’re starting again.”

“You’re so mean!”

“So I’ve heard. But I’ve learned to live with it somehow.”

We kept moving forward.

______________________________

It took most of the day to reach her party.

“Stella!” Three men, two humans and a dwarf, all good looking and well dressed, rushed forward and surrounded the girl. Their faces held expressions of worry as they looked her over from head to toe. The better dressed of the two human, I assumed Prince Henry, grabbed her hands, holding them gently.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt at all? We were so worried when you got lost!”

Stella smiled bravely, tears in her eyes. “It was very difficult, but I made it back.”

_Why is she acting like she’s done something amazing? I’ve practically dragged her lazy ass the whole way!_

Under my astonished gaze, the men pulled out a pillow from their supplies, arranging a comfortable place for Stella to sit, before bringing out tea and cookies for her to have. She sat down, taking their care for granted, before looking back up at K’llean with a shy smile. “Would you like to have some tea?”

The other men in her group looked on with obvious jealousy at her preferential treatment, but didn’t say anything. K’llean however, was frowning, seeming confused.

“Is this… normal?” He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “Were we supposed to be carrying around a pillow and tea set for you?”

“If you wasted our supply space with useless junk like that I would have beaten your face in.”

He smiled at my reply. “That’s what I thought.”

The dwarf glared at me and K’llean. “It’s not a waste of space to keep Stella comfortable!” Seeing that we weren’t impressed, he stepped closer, pointing a finger in our faces. “Don’t you know how important she is?!”

“G’ralt!” Stella called out, looking shy. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about it!”

The prince shook his head. “It’s alright, dearest Stella. If I’m correct these three are from the Elven Village that we were headed for anyways. They would know eventually.”

The tallest of the three, a more burly looking warrior, stepped forward. “I’ll tell them!”

 _Ooh, this must be Matthias, the one who gave the prettily embroidered handkerchief!_ Distracted by my thoughts, I almost didn’t hear his announcement.

“This is Stella, the Chosen One from the prophecies. Summoned from another world to help us defeat the darkness and save the world!”

“…”

There was an awkward pause as they waited for my group to show some sort of response. The dark haired elf and K’llean both just stood in place, looking unimpressed. Feeling uncomfortable, I stepped forward with a smile, sticking out a hand to shake.

“Hi, I’m Belaire, the elven priestess. That’s K’llean and that’s Li… another of our friends.”

The warrior stared at my outstretched hand without reaching for it. “Do you not understand common tongue?”

We had been speaking in Common since picking up Stella rather than Elvish, I though carefully over the words I had used to introduce myself and couldn’t think of anything wrong with what I had said. “No, we speak it. You introduced her and so I introduced us.” I tilted my head. “Is there a different custom in your culture?”

“It’s not a culture thing!” He threw up his hands in disgust. “This is the Chosen One!”

“Yep, we heard.”

“From the prophecies!”

“Uh huh.”

“… WHY AREN’T YOU IMPRESSED?!” Finally Stella burst out angrily, jumping to her feet.

I shrugged. “We knew you were coming.”

As I spoke I heard a quiet whisper in Elvish behind me.

“I knew it.”

Before I could react, a barrier made of light magic spread out, pushing everyone over twenty feet away, leaving only me, Stella and K’llean. 

I looked over at the dark haired elf, worried that he was hurt by the light magic, but he seemed to have jumped backwards in time. His face was distorted by fear, his mouth seemed to be screaming my name but I couldn’t hear anything from outside the barrier. Likewise, Stella’s companions seemed to be shouting, but there was nothing but silence.

I turned towards the elf at my side. “K’llean what are you…?” My voice trailed off in shock at the sight in front of me.

K’llean had his hand wrapped around Stella’s throat, lifting her effortlessly up into the air. Light magic bound her hands and feet, preventing her from struggling free. Her eyes were bulging with fear, her face slowly turned purple under as K’llean choked her with a calm expression.

“STOP!” I raised my hand, preparing my own magic but had to pause as K’llean looked over at me with a grin.

“Try to interfere and I’ll kill her immediately.” He was speaking in Elvish, Stella’s frightened gaze turned towards me, and she made a pleading expression. I held out my hands in a peaceful gesture, speaking slowly and quietly, hoping to stall his actions.

“K’llean, calm down. Why are you trying to kill this innocent girl?”

“Innocent?” He threw his head back and laughed. “This is the girl, isn’t it?”

“What do you…?”

“The girl who you said was my soul mate. The one I would marry.”

I opened my mouth and closed it, not sure which answer would help me save Stella.

“You don’t have to say it. You’ve told me so many times before. A human girl. The Chosen One.” He looked back at Stella, his eyes cold. “I wondered when we first met her, but you confirmed it yourself. You said we knew she was coming. So she has to be the Chosen One you saw in the future. My future wife.” He said the word “wife” like a curse, his hand tightening.

“Yeah, she’s your soul mate, K’llean, so don’t kill her!” I was nervous. I wasn’t sure if this world would even remain if the heroine died, and what would happen to me and Liam if it did disappear.

A large grin formed on K’llean’s face, his eyes filled with an almost fanatical light. “She’s what standing in between us. She’s the reason you’ve refused to love me all these years. Even though I love you. Even though I’ve done everything _for you_. You won’t look at me, all because of this one insignificant human.”

“That’s not…”

“You’re my family, Belaire, everything I have. My future. My wife. I won’t let anyone take that from me.”

Stella let out a choking sound, a white magic surrounding her and trying to push K’llean away. He brushed it aside with light magic, looking curious.

“What attribute magic is that?”

 _Maybe this will distract him enough for me to get her away from him!_ “It’s pure magic! She doesn’t have an attribute! That’s why she’s the Chosen One.”

He paused at that, but his grip didn’t loosen at all. “So her magic can combine with anyone’s? Without restriction?”

“Yes, light, dark or any other element! Her magic won’t reject any of it!” I tensed myself up, ready to jump forward, but before I could he opened his hand, dropping the girl to the ground with a loud thud.

I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her away from K’llean. He stared at her in my arms, a weird grin on his face. As her scared eyes met his own, his smile widened.

“You will be useful in the future. Be grateful.”

With that his barrier disappeared and he walked away. Stella’s group rushed forward, snatching the girl away, as the dwarf and the elf advanced towards me aggressively.

“What the hell were you two doing to the Chosen One?!”

I held up my hands, noting that the dark haired elf had moved to stand between me and the two, a dagger drawn, ready to protect me. “K’llean had a misunderstanding due to one of the elven prophecies. I cleared it up and he apologized and let her go.” Obviously K’llean hadn’t apologized, but since our conversation had completely been in Elvish hopefully I could get away with a small lie.

The prince, hugging Stella tightly shook his head at me. “Do you think a simple apology is good enough?”

“Honestly, I don’t care if you think it’s good enough or not. I saved your Chosen One’s life. If you want revenge, go look for K’llean.” I smiled. “Just know that he’s a lot more powerful than you.”

Unable to respond, the three pulled Stella away, looking her over for wounds. The dark haired elf sheathed his blade, grabbing my hand with a concerned expression.

“You’re okay?”

I patted his head. “I’ll be okay. K’llean is mad but it won’t change my decisions.”

He paused at that, an uncertain light in his eyes. “Won’t you choose him?”

“I’ve always been honest and said that I wouldn’t. Why does no one believe me?”

“Because he’s the best choice.”

I stared at him, feeling mildly annoyed. “Do YOU want me to marry K’llean?”

The elf took a step back, lowering his head. His short hair fell forward, blocking his eyes. After a moment I heard a almost inaudible whisper.

“No, I don’t.”

“Then there’s no issue.”

It took a long time to calm down Stella and their party, but after some consideration, they still decided to visit the Elven Village with us.

“The prophecy said that she must be supported by all three races if she is to win over darkness.” The prince said with a sour look.

 _That might be difficult considering that the male lead wants her dead._ I felt mildly depressed about the state of the original story. I didn’t know whether or not this world could accept such drastic changes or how that would effect the heroine’s ability to save the world.

 _Well, let’s focus on getting through the adult ceremony and saving the forest first._ I thought about the amulet we had retrieved with some satisfaction. Without it, it would be very difficult for the Dark Lord to be powerful enough to rival me.

Even with the heroine arriving early, everything was still going according to plan.

______________________________ 

“What’s wrong with everyone here?!” Stella’s frustrated shout caused several of the elves to glance at her, but they quickly went back about their business.

I sighed, wishing I could ditch the noisy heroine. “What is the issue now?”

“Did you explain to them that I’m the Chosen One?”

“Yes, many times, as per your request.” She and her party had been there less than a few days, but it had already been very frustrating to deal with her multiple demands. “Now if you don’t mind I have business to attend to…”

“Then why is everyone so…casual about it?!” Stella ignored my subtle hints and continued to follow me. “Everywhere else people showed me respect, treated me well. But here… it’s like they don’t care!”

I understood some of her confusion. In the original story, the elven people had acted just like what she described, giving her the best food, housing, acting as servants… but this time… it was as if they were indifferent.

“It’s because you’re not very impressive when compared to what we already have.” K’llean’s voice startled me, I turned and watched him warily as he approached. After the last confrontation, he had returned to the village on his own, and mostly avoided both me and the heroine. _What is he up to now?_

He noticed my cautiousness, smiling warmly at me. “Don’t be so concerned, Belaire. I won’t hurt the human again.”

“That’s… good.” I answered slowly. He was saying the right things, but I noted that he hadn’t looked at the heroine once, and referred to her only as ‘the human’.”

_The story is definitely broken._

“What do you mean I’m not impressive?” Stella stepped into K’llean’s gaze, looking angry. “I’m the one who will save the world!”

A wry grin formed on the elf’s face. “And yet you just seem so… pitiful compared to our own priestess. Her light magic and combat abilities are greater than what have ever been seen before. You think we should be impressed with you just because of some magical ability and a prophecy?” He snorted derisively. “Take a better look at yourself. You are just a silly human playing hero.”

“You… I…” Stella stuttered, her face pale.

K’llean turned towards me. “Belaire, I wanted to talk to you about the amulet.”

“What amulet?”

Stella tried to interject, but was ignored by him as he continued to speak. “I still have it with me, but wasn’t sure if there was a safe place you wanted to keep it?”

I nodded, feeling uncomfortable with how this conversation had gone and happy that it had reached a safer subject. “We’ll take it to the village center and I’ll place a ward down to prevent it from reaching the wrong hands…”

“WHAT AMULET, GUYS?”

“Why do you think it concerns you?” K’llean finally responded to her, with a cold expression.

“I’m the Chosen…”

“You weren’t chosen by us.” His voice was flat, emotionless. “So go find someone who cares.”

I watched silently, unsure of whether or not to step in. I had always thought that Stella and K’llean were fated, and even with a few changes to the story that they would fall in love. This world was very different, but I didn’t feel like trying to push things back to the way they were.

_It’s not like I can force K’llean to fall in love with her. If anything, it will just make him hate her more._

“What lies did you tell him about me?!” Stella’s shout of rage at me turned my attention back to the uncomfortable conversation.

“What…?”

“He was nice to me until we met up with my group. You guys had that conversation in Elvish and he’s been rude and mean ever since!” Stella’s finger pointed into my face. “You told him something, and that’s why he’s so mean to me now!”

“…” _You gotta admire the confidence of a heroine. Has she forgotten that he tried to kill her already?_

“Don’t point at her.” K’llean stepped closer, causing her to stumble back in panic. “Don’t yell at her. Don’t even look at her.” His face became a snarl. “You don’t deserve to.”

“Why do you keep defending her? I’m…”

“I love her.” The simple sentence dropped the whole group into silence.

“K’llean…”

He turned away from her. “I’ll leave the amulet in the village center. Make sure to come by the school tomorrow to give some pointers to the younger students. They were begging for you to show up during sword fighting training.”

Not waiting for my answer, he walked away.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” Stella’s shout echoed behind her as she ran away from me, leaving me all alone with my thoughts.

I stared into empty space, sighing to myself. “Main characters.”

______________________________ 

Months passed. 

Stella and her party stayed on in our village. They claimed that their prophecies predicted our village to be the first place attacked by the darkness. Stella became increasingly frustrated by her lack of prestige in this place, becoming more isolated except from her party who continued to cater to her.

The only exception to this was K’llean, who she followed around constantly, trying to catch his attention. Despite his increasingly rude and curt reactions to her pursuit, she only tried harder. At first I thought this was the plot trying to correct itself, until I overheard a conversation between her and her party members one day.

“Stella, dear, I know you like that K’llean elf, but he seems to be the promised husband to the elven priestess.” The dwarf warned her with a sympathetic look. “It would be better not to get involved, since we need their help to push back the first attack of the Darkness.”

“Why should SHE get everything?” Stella stepped back outside the reach of the hand attempting to pat her shoulder. “He should like me! I’m the one who is from another world! I’m the most important person to ever live in this place! Why is he so obsessed with some backwoods priestess?”

I leaned back out of sight as I heard her words, feeling conflicted. _Was she like this in the original story? Is this why she started a relationship with K’llean despite him being married? So much for true love._

I spent the months continuing to grow my power. I noticed that as I came closer to adulthood, it took more and more life energy to grow my magic even a small amount. K’llean and Liam still joined in on these sessions, the elf and shadow wolf staying as far away from each other as possible as they trained in their respective magics.

K’llean continued to ignore the heroine, no matter how much she tried to get his attention. Strengthening his position as a warrior and a leader within the village, most treated it as accepted fact that he would be my choice as my adult ceremony grew closer. He treated me as he had in the past, in a more casual, joking manner, never crossing the line we had drawn the day he discovered the heroine’s role in the prophecy.

The dark haired elf on the other hand was stuck to my side, as if he was terrified to let me out of his sight. Whether I was working with the council, teaching students, gathering materials, he was only a step away, lending a hand when necessary. At night, Liam the shadow wolf slept in the same bed as me, leaving before I woke up each morning. He didn’t attempt to force himself to touch light magic again after I scolded him, but more than once I felt his sad stare as I practiced my magic, watching the light with a despairing expression.

______________________________ 

Soon, it was the night before my adult ceremony. I spent some time helping the elders teach magic to the students, ignoring their not-so-subtle hints about who my choice should be the next day. The dark haired elf who had stuck by me, briefly said goodbye and stepped out, leaving me alone. 

Feeling nervous but unsure as to why, I left the school and headed back to my home. As I walked, the last rays of the setting sun disappeared and darkness fell around me. I rubbed my arms and walked faster, shivering with cold, eager to be back to my house and Liam, who I knew would be waiting for me.

“Belaire.” The soft call made me sigh with frustration as I turned around to face the source.

_I was so close to home._

“K’llean.”

His face was difficult to see in the darkness, but even the shadows couldn’t hide the intensity of his gaze.

“Tomorrow is your adult ceremony.”

“I’m aware.” I ran a hand through my hair uncomfortably. “What do you want?”

“Choose me for your partner.”

“K’llean…”

“You can’t make a life oath with him. You would endanger the whole forest if you can’t be with a partner who can support you.” He stepped closer, his eyes shining in the moonlight. “I have always loved you. I know you don’t love me, not yet… but I promise to make you happy, to care for you until you can love me the same way.”

I kept my voice calm. “I won’t choose you.”

He took another step, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t force me to be a villain, Belaire. I won’t let you go. I won’t hesitate to do what it takes to tie you to me.”

“K’llean, I view you as a friend, and that’s all.” I stepped away from him. “I’m sorry I can’t respond to your feelings, but I won’t change my mind. You’ll have to learn to be content with what I can give freely. Forcing things won’t give you happiness.” I briefly considered bringing up Stella, but held back, thinking it might just make things worse.

“Goodnight.” I turned and walked away, feeling relieved when he didn’t try to stop me.

“Goodnight, Belaire.” His quiet voice followed me. “Think over things well. I meant what I said. This is the last warning.”

By the time I reached my house, I had broken out into a cold sweat. _The hero in this story is definitely wrong._

Liam was there to greet me, his tail wagging as he leaned against my waste, smiling up at me. Leaning down, I held him tightly, causing him to stiffen in my arms.

“Sorry, Liam. I just feel relieved to see you.” Seeing his worried eyes, I broke into laughter. “I’m okay. But having you by my side is healing.”

I skipped dinner, not feeling hungry after my confrontation with Liam and climbed into bed, cuddling with Liam who lay by my side.

“Everything is going to be different tomorrow.”

I felt Liam tremble beside me, an almost involuntary sad whine coming from him.

“Don’t leave me, okay?”

Feeling uneasy about the next day, I hugged him close and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.


	10. Fantasy World 6

The day had arrived. I woke up, expecting to be alone as usual, since Liam always snuck out in the morning, leaving food behind. To my surprise, however, he was still laying next to me, his eyes showing a deep sadness as he watched me closely.

I smiled at him. “It’s my birthday.” Reaching out and rubbing his soft ears, I sighed to myself, finally letting go of him and sitting up. “It’s gonna be okay.”

Liam let out a soft whine, seeming unwilling to move even when I got out of bed. Slowly he jumped up, his paws making no sound on the floor as he leaned against my side.

“Don’t want me to go?”

Liam leaned harder, almost knocking me over.

“Well I don’t think they would let a wolf into the ceremony, so we’ll have to part ways for a short amount of time.”

The shadow wolf’s dark blue eyes stared into my own before he nodded, separating from me and walking towards the door.

“Liam.” I called out, causing him to turn. “Trust in me. I won’t let you down.”

His eyes showed confusion, but he simply nodded again, before running out the door, disappearing from sight.

As I walked towards the village center, a single voice called out to me.

“STOP!”

_Seriously is this path cursed or something? Why do i keep running into people i don’t want to talk to?_

I paused for a moment, strongly considering continuing to walk for a few moments, before turning towards the source with a fixed smile. “Stella. What a pleasure to see you again.”

“Spare me the fake pleasantries, Belaire.” The heroine’s face was drawn back into an aggressive frown, studying me as if I was a bug to be exterminated. “I know you for what you really are.”

 _Don’t get drawn in. Don’t give her attention. You’ll only regret it._ “And what is that exactly?”

_Oh well, it’s more interesting to get drawn in anyways._

“A petty, jealous brat, desperate for attention and praise.”

“…” _Wow._ I stared at her, openmouthed in shock. “Are you sure you weren’t just looking in a mirror?”

“I know you’re going to force poor K’llean to marry you tonight at the ceremony!” Stella stepped closer, her eyes filled with righteous indignation. “He’s so scared to offend you, to put his people at risk, that he’s not willing to consider his own happiness.”

_She… might be as delusional as Rose from the reverse harem world…._ _And I didn’t think that was possible._

I unsuccessfully held back a sigh. “What do you want, Stella?”

“Let K’llean be free to love whoever he wants.”

“Already done. In fact he was highly encouraged to pursue other romantic targets.”

“You’re lying!”

I shrugged. “Don’t assume that his lack of interest in you means there’s foul play.”

“I’m the CHOSEN ONE! Why wouldn’t he be interested?!”

“I really don’t think that title means what you think it means.”

“No, it’s you who doesn’t get it! I’m important now! So what if I was nothing before?! Maybe i was just a faceless person in a crowd of thousands of other college students. No awards. No good grades. No job prospects. Not even a boyfriend!” She continued to move closer, well within my comfort zone. “Maybe I had given up on being special, on being important, but then I was transported HERE! To a fantasy world! EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW! I’m the hero, the Chosen One!” She was shouting now, spitting with rage.

“Stella…”

“NO! Everyone treated me the way they should have before this! Like I was the most important person in this world! UNTIL YOU! HERE THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT YOU! You’re just like those popular assholes on campus who looked down on me…”

Stella’s finger poked my chest as she spoke, and something within me snapped. I reached out and grabbed her arm, flipping her onto her back as I sat casually down beside her with a calm smile.

“I’m gonna explain this to you very slowly and very simply to try to get it through your thick skull: this isn’t a popularity contest. This is life. Most important?” I laughed. “No matter how famous you are, there will always be someone to whom you mean absolutely nothing. You have been given a chance to fight side by side with your new friends, make a difference in this world, have the adventure of the lifetime. And you’re more worried about who is more popular in the Elven Village?!”

Stella tried to shake her head, and I silenced her with magic, wrapping it over her mouth. 

“Nope. No more nonsense. Still my turn to talk. I’ve put up with your temper tantrums. I’ve not fought back despite your attempts to undermine my authority, spreading rumors and insults about me. But you need to understand something: the reason I let it go wasn’t because I was afraid of you, or your position as the ‘Chosen One’” I leaned forward. “It’s because you were never important enough for me to be bothered.”

Her eyes were filled with anger and hurt, and I knew my words had struck right in the center of her insecurities. I felt a strange mix of guilt and satisfaction. _I guess I really am a villain whether I plan to be or not._

“Can you let go of Stella, Priestess?” 

A calm voice called out, and I looked up to see one of the heroine’s companions, Prince Henry. 

“Of course.” I got up, ignoring the girl still silenced with magic on the ground. “Just doing a little bit of re-education. I hope you don’t mind.”

“How could I complain about the Priestess’ methods?” He smiled bitterly. “Especially on her home turf where her powers are the strongest?”

“I’m glad you understand.” I stared down at the heroine briefly, who was motioning for me to undo the magic over her mouth, and then looked away. “Is there anything else you wanted? I would hate for the elves to have a reputation of not being hospitable to our guests.”

Prince Henry must have trained well in diplomacy, his face showed no reaction to my words despite the bedraggled, silenced form of the heroine sitting at my feet as I spoke about hospitality.

“I wanted to wish you a happy birthday and adult ceremony tonight, priestess, as well as congratulate you in advance for the formation of a successful life oath.” 

His words meant well but I still frowned at them.“You’re too kind.”

He winced slightly at my cold tone. “The other thing I wished to discuss with you today has to do with the reports I received regarding the gathering and strengthening of the shadow monsters. They’ve been seen in larger and larger groups over the last few weeks, wandering the edges of the deep forest.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The Dark Lord has risen?” _Hopefully he is weaker than in the original story without the amulet._

“That’s the strange thing.” The prince sighed. “The monsters seemed decentralized, as if they are wandering without purpose, searching for a leader.”

 _Shouldn’t the Dark Lord have arrived by now?_ “Should we attack while they are still scattered?”

“It would be difficult, they can easily flee back into the Dark Woods, and any light magic would be at a disadvantage there. It would be better to wait until more of them come into Elven-controlled forest.”

I nodded. “You make a good point. Please keep an eye on the situation and inform me of any changes. Once the time arises, the Elves will be ready to fight.”

“Thank you for being understanding, Priestess.”

“It’s in everyone’s best interest to work together, Prince Henry. I won’t make things difficult.”

I started to walk away, before hearing the prince clear his throat awkwardly.

“Was there anything else?”

He looked uncomfortable. “Would you be willing to undo the magic that’s silencing the Chosen One?”

“Really? I kind of liked her better like this, though.” I sighed and waved a hand. “It will fade in three minutes or so, hopefully once I’m out of earshot.”

“Thank you.” He bowed courteously.

“She’s lucky to have you on her side.” With that, I turned and left, never sparing a glance to the furious heroine still sitting on the ground.

___________________

The time for the ceremony had arrived.

A solemn atmosphere enveloped the entire village. Torches lit up the central space, the flickering golden light bouncing off of leaves and branches that stood tall in the distances, throwing thousands of shadows. The sounds of insects and animals had grown faint, as if even they were listening in.

I stepped out of the gathering hut, where I had been undergoing cleansing rituals all day. The skirt of my emerald gown swayed around my ankles as I walked, the silver trim seeming to reflect the moonlight. Simple ornaments made of flowers adorned my hair, my neck, my wrists, feeling as heavy as shackles as I approached.

“The Priestess has come of age.” The village elder spoke in a loud solemn tone, his voice echoing across the empty space, seeming to ring in my ears. “Step forward.”

The village elves were split to either side of me, young and old, watching as I passed them by on my way to the elder. Behind the older elf stood two rows of all the healthy young male elves in the village, watching me nervously. In the very front row in the center stood K’llean, his face expressionless, his eyes never leaving my face.

I stopped in front of the elder, bowing my head.

“Do you promise to protect this forest, and its people no matter what?”

_The priestess had answered without hesitation in the original story. A single word. “Yes.”_

But these oaths were more than simple promises. They were a magical contract between me and the forest, binding me to keep them.

I raised my head, looking the elder in the eyes. “I will protect them to the best of my abilities.”

_It’s part of my mission after all. But I won’t go beyond that. I won’t sacrifice myself for you as she did._

The elder seemed to notice the slight variation, but continued the ceremony.

“Will you push back the darkness with the help of your chosen partner?”

_I refuse to be forced to form a life oath with someone I don’t love._

“I will push back the darkness with my greatest strength.”

“Belaire.” The elder whispered in a warning tone. “Don’t fool around.”

He then lifted his arms. “Will you stay with us, lead us, guide us, protect us, and help us for the rest of your life?”

“I will… as long as the light magic shines within me.”

_After all, I never really die, do I? And I don’t really want to carry a promise like this past this world._

The elder was displeased by my rewordings, I could tell, but he still took a bowl of golden colored wine, handing it to me carefully.

“Then I declare you to be our Priestess! May the forest bless you and your chosen partner!”

I took the bowl and drank the wine in a single gulp, wincing as it burned my throat on the way down. I felt a wave of anxiety that wasn’t my own, along with a deep sadness.

The Priestess’ memories of this moment in her life were not kind.

_She promised to protect the village, but they abandoned her._

_She promised to join hands with her partner and push back the darkness but he betrayed her._

_She promised to stay by them for her entire life, but they watched on as she was sacrificed to protect them._

“It’s time for you to choose your partner.” The elder stepped aside, gesturing to the two rows of elves. “The one you pick will stay by your side…”

_lies._

“Perform a life oath with you to share your burden…”

_LIES._

“And protect you with his life.”

I wanted to laugh at the words he spoke as well as cry, caught between amusement and agony, old memories and new, myself and the remnant of one long dead.

_I won’t make the same mistake, Priestess._

I stepped closer, ignoring the hopeful smiles. K’llean’s gaze stuck to my own, a desperate plea visible in his eyes. He had thrown away all his pride last night to beg me to choose him. I couldn’t imagine how much that had cost him to do. The village wanted me to partner with him, he was the natural decision given his powers, his combat abilities, and his leadership skills.

_But I couldn’t pick him._

I searched the lined up faces, not seeing the one I was looking for. I turned around, scanning the crowd, breaking out in a smile when a familiar figure stuck out from the back. I started walking off to the side, ignoring the startled whispers of the crowd.

_To be honest, I’ve considered not choosing anyone, just to spite them._

“What’s she doing?”

“Why is she walking away from the candidates.”

_It would have served them right for their sins in the original story as well as in this life._

“Is she abandoning her post?”

“What’s going on?!”

The worried voices of the elves spoke up all around me, but I barely heard them. All of my attention was focused on a single elf standing away from the others, a hopeless expression on his face.

_Even if I wanted to screw them over that way, I think it’s more important to go ahead and make this official._

I reached out and grabbed the elf’s hand.

_After all, I did make a promise to him in the last world._

“I choose him.”

The crowd around us broke into shouts of disagreement, the noise blending into a tidal wave of anger, overwhelming the senses. But all I could see was the startled expression of the dark haired elf, his dark blue eyes wide with shock.

“Me?” he mouthed the word, I couldn’t hear him over the loud disagreement from the surrounding elves.

“You.” I smiled back at him, feeling relieved.

“THIS CANNOT HAPPEN!” The elder shouted pushing his way through the crowd.

“I told you not to interfere with my choice.”

“But you cannot form a life… mmmph!” I silenced him with magic, leaving him to glare angrily at me.

“Now it’s been a long day, so we’ll be heading out. If anyone else wishes to complain right now, I’ll be happy to smash you into pieces with my magic.” I smiled at the briefly silent crowd. The fear in the group was palpable but only a short amount of time passed before the group descended into chaos once more. I grabbed the dark haired elf’s hand and dragged him behind me. We were pushed back by the crowd, our hands separating before I could hold on tighter.

I looked around desperately for the dark hair that should stand out, but I couldn’t see him. As I searched, my eyes caught a familiar gaze that forced me to pause.

K’llean.

He didn’t seem surprised, or angry. His face showed no emotion, his eyes studying my face as if looking for answers. Seeming to find them, he smiled gently, turning to talk to a girl beside him.

 _Is that… the heroine? Is he interested in her now that I haven’t chosen him?_ I knew it seemed unlikely given his prior attitude, but I couldn’t help but feel a little optimistic. They were the hero and heroine after all. Wouldn’t fate bring them together?

_But first, let’s escape and track down my new fiancé._

____________________  
_

I ran off, slipping in between the reaching hands and deflecting the angry words. I entered my home, setting up a light magic barrier to prevent anyone in the village from barging in to try to change my mind. As I walked through the doorway, I had laugh at the sight in front of me.

The large shadow wolf lay on the ground, covered mostly in a blanket, only part of his head visible, his dark blue eyes staring warily up at me. Despite his nervous appearance, his tail wagged back and forth desperately behind him, revealing his inner happiness.

“Liam, I finished the ceremony successfully.”

The wolf gave me a confused expression.

“I chose the one I love as my partner.”

His eyes lit up with excitement briefly.

“But I’m not sure how he feels about me.” I sighed, sitting down next to the wolf, pulling off the blanket and petting his head. “After all, he ran away from the ceremony.”

Liam let out a soft whine, his nose nudging my hand.

“So Liam… don’t you think you can change back to an elf for a while so we can talk?”

_**Crash!** _

The wolf leapt back in surprise, crashing into a chair in the room and collapsing in a heap on the floor. He untangled himself, jumping to his feet, his eyes bright with fear. I smiled at him.

“Isn’t it a little unfair to have me pour out my heart while you’re in a form that can’t talk?”

“…” A long silence fell over the room. Liam and I stared at each other, neither willing to look away.

Finally he sighed. A shadowy fog formed around him, soaking into his fur, obscuring his form from view. When it finally faded there was left the dark haired elf I had proposed to.

“How long have you…?”

“YOU’RE NAKED!”

I had not realized that obviously Liam the wolf didn’t have clothing on, and therefore Liam the elf didn’t either. I grabbed a sheet from the bed, throwing it over his lap, and sat back down holding my face in my hands.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “Now I can talk calmly. What was your question?”

He raised an eyebrow at my increasingly red face, and smiled, the expression making my heart melt. “How long have you known?”

“Since you started practicing your magic with me and K’llean.”

“That’s been years!”

“Yep.”

He ran a hand through his hair distractedly. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You didn’t seem to want me to know.” I grinned. “Besides, I was worried you wouldn’t agree to live with me if you realized that I knew you weren’t a wolf.”

“…” He silently studied me, biting his lip. “Why did you choose me?”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“I’m not as strong as K’llean, at least not with a sword. I can’t lead the village the way he does.” He met my eyes and flinched, looking away. “Everyone says he was your perfect match.”

“Well I didn’t love him, so I wasn’t going to choose him.”

He frowned at that. “But even then, there are plenty of better choices than me. I have dark magic, Belaire. I can’t form a life oath with you, can’t combine our magic, can’t help you defend the forest.”

“So?” I reached out, brushing his short hair out of the way with my hand. “I can protect the village just fine on my own. You know how strong I am. Any other objections?”

“… I’m a monster.” He whispered after a short pause. “I don’t know why but… I can turn into a beast… one that looks just like the dark monsters out there in the forest, the ones that want to destroy the village.”

“Do you want to destroy the village?”

“I did want to, when I was younger.” His head hung down in shame. “Until I met you.”

“Well that’s fine.” I laughed quietly. “Honestly even if you still wanted to destroy them it would be fine, given how they’ve treated you all these years. As for being a monster… turning into a wolf doesn’t make you one.” I looked through the window, thinking of the original story. “The real monsters are the ones that use others as tools, who hide their malice and betrayal behind a smile and some nice words.”

“Belaire…”

“So I’m saying that none of that matters.” I turned back to stare into his eyes, speaking seriously. “I love you. You’re quiet but you’re compassionate, caring for me when I’m tired or sick, supporting me from behind. You’ve been by my side for ten years, and never once have you tried to use me for your own selfish goals, you’ve only ever tried to help me, usually at your own expense.”

“…” Liam stared at me calmly, and I began to feel worried that I might be the only one who cared.

I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Now would be a good time to tell me how you feel. I’m getting nervous here.”

_How did Liam do all this confessing in the previous two worlds?! It’s nerve-wracking!_

A hand reached out and caressed my face. Liam’s dark blue eyes filled with tears. “I love you too.” He lowered his hand, grabbing mine and interlocking our fingers. “From the moment we met as children, I felt I already knew you. A recognition burned into my soul. I wanted to stay by your side, so I did in another form. But even as I fell for your more with each passing day, I never dared hope for anything. I knew I couldn’t be your partner. So I tried to help K’llean grow stronger so he could protect your better.”

I thought of K’llean’s possessiveness, his vow to bind me to him.

“What would you have done if I chose him?”

His smile was sad. “I can’t bear to see you with someone else. But I can’t bear to force you either. You must be safe. You must be happy. So I planned to leave.”

___________________

**I was drawn into a tight embrace, the chest beneath my cheek shaking with tears. A voice whispered in my ears, barely audible in the roar of the fire around us.**

**“You must be safe. You must be happy.”**

**___________________  
**

I blinked as a tiniest snippet of a memory I had never seen before assaulted me, the sensation so real that I could still feel the stiff fabric on the arms around me, the acrid smell of smoke and heat from the flames still lingering around me.

“Belaire?” Liam called out, concerned.

“I’m okay.” I rubbed my head, where a throbbing headache was starting. “Do you mind if I call you Liam in this form as well? You never answered when I asked your name as an elf.”

“That’s because I’ve only ever had one name, and you were the one to give it to me.” His hand tightly squeezed my own. “No one had given me a name before.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I love the name you gave me.” He grinned. “Liam. It seems to fit well.”

“You’ve had it before.”

“Before?”

I took a deep breath. “Would you believe me if I told you we’ve known each other in other worlds, other lives?”

“I would.” He tilted his head, staring at me. “It would explain a lot of things. Although why can you remember it and not me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did we get along in our other lives?” His eyes were expectant. If he still had his tail it would be wagging. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yes. In fact, last life you made me promise to marry you in this one.”

“…” Liam was silent for a moment, and then reached out and gave me a hug. I fell over into his lap, hurriedly adjusting the sheet to make sure he was decent.

“LIAM!”

“Good job, past life me!” He smiled at me brightly. _What happened to my shy, quiet dark elf?_

“Alright, alright, calm down. We should get some sleep. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of complaints to face in the morning.”

“Worth it.” He focused briefly and after condensing into a dark shadow, he turned back into his wolf form.

“Liam?”

He stared up at me innocently.

“Are you planning to sleep like this?” I felt another headache forming.

He nodded in response.

“Why not your elf form?”

Liam watched me for a few seconds, his tail flicking nervously, and then looked away, as if embarrassed.

 _Why do I feel like a villain in some perverted story?_ Sighing, I got into bed, patting the space beside me. “Fine, you can sleep in your wolf form.”

Tail wagging, he jumped into the bed beside me, snuggling close.

___________________

“This is going well.” I muttered to Liam as we walked through the village, holding hands.

Everywhere I looked there were glaring eyes. A few elves spat curses at us as we passed.

“Monster.”

“… stole the priestess.”

“Doomed us all.”

Liam shrugged, playing with my hand as we passed by them. “Better than I expected.”

Now that we were no longer alone, he had reverted to saying minimal words again, although at least he was slightly more expressive than before.

“How bad were you expecting things to be?” I asked incredulously.

“… They haven’t thrown anything yet.”

“… True.”

We entered the gathering hut, where the three elders of the village now stood with solemn expressions. They seemed to have learned their lesson and were no longer sitting on elevated thrones just to intimidate me. The serious atmosphere was somewhat stifling, but I simply smiled and waved at them.

“Hey there. Figured I’d give you all a chance to speak out your objections to my choice of partner so I can ignore them!”

The elder’s face turned red with rage. “You have thrown away all tradition by pretending this… this…” He pointed at Liam. “MONSTER is your partner.”

My smile faded. “He is anything but a monster. And he is my partner. I’m not pretending.”

The healer stepped forward, shaking her head. “He can’t form a life oath with you!”

“So?”

“Combining your magic with another in a life oath will increase your power ten fold. Without it, there is no guarantee that you can push back the darkness. Will you condemn the forest to destruction just to protect one person?” She stared at me intently. “Could you really be that selfish?”

I staggered at her words, feeling a strange mix of guilt and anger. _The priestess’ emotions?_ Despite their betrayal, she loved the forest, loved the village, wanted nothing but their safety. My actions seemed to spit in the face of all that. 

**You must accept your fate.**

I felt a deep pain in my head as I pushed back the strong emotions not my own. My hand tightened on Liam’s beside me and I straightened my shoulders to face them head on.

“I will protect this forest as I promised. And I will do it without the life oath.”

“But is that really necessary?” A voice called out, causing everyone in the room to turn.

“K’llean.” I spat the name out like a curse.

“Priestess.” He smiled at me, but the expression didn’t meet his eyes. His gaze moved over to Liam, and then to our clasped hands, a dark rage forming in his eyes before he hid it. He stepped closer to Liam, patting him on the shoulder.

“You know, since we fought as children, I have done my best to treat you as a friend, since our priestess viewed you so highly.”

Liam tried to pull back, but K’llean’s hand clamped down, his fingers digging into the dark elf’s arm. “So why did you take advantage of me to steal what wasn’t yours?”

The question was whispered, but the hatred behind it was strong enough to burn.

Before I could step in, he released Liam, stepping back, a mild grin on his face as if the harsh words had never crossed his lips. He looked over at the elders and then back at us, spreading his hands out.

“You are all going about this the wrong way. Condemning the priestess for her actions, without trying to understand her reasons.”

The elder frowned. “K’llean, we cannot allow…”

“Oh I know.” He interrupted, holding up a hand. “You want to protect the forest. She wants too as well. Otherwise she wouldn’t work so hard to improve her powers. It’s unfair of you to assume she doesn’t care about us because of one unwise choice.”

He stepped closer to me. “On the other hand, she cares about everyone, so a poor lonely soul like a dark magic elf… one everyone bullied and ignored… of course she would pity him.”

I felt Liam’s hand trembling in my own and spoke up angrily. “It’s not pity…”

“She can’t bear to watch him suffer, so she works hard on her own, becoming strong enough to try to shoulder the forest’s protection without a partner, giving him a chance to be ‘accepted.’” Liam interrupted me, glancing over at Liam with a sneer. “To be ‘normal.’”

The elders seemed to relax. “Of course, our Priestess is kind and compassionate. But to put the forest at risk…”

I watched the conversation coldly, knowing that he would push forward whatever he wanted to say whether I tried to speak or not. _What is he planning?_

“That’s why I have a solution.” He turned towards the door. “Stella! Can you come in, please?”

The heroine walked in, standing beside K’llean with the calmest look I had seen on her since we met. Her eyes fixed on Liam and she seemed to blush, looking away.

A dull anger built in my stomach.

“Stella is the Chosen One, and although she is a human, her magic is attributeless.” K’llean smiled, allowing the elders to whisper amongst themselves in shock. “Which means she can perform a life oath and combine with any magic, including dark.”

He moved forward, stepping in front of Liam. “The Chosen One has graciously agreed to perform a life oath with you. So everyone can win. You won’t be lonely, so the priestess doesn’t have to worry. And Belaire and I can be together, as planned.” He turned towards the elders. “And the village gets two combined pairs with strong magic powers, assuring the survival of the village and the world.”

The elders clapped. “This is a perfect solution!” The healer spoke up, smiling. “You can help everyone, Priestess.”

“I know you don’t know me well yet.” Stella was talking to Liam, her eyes bright as she looked over his handsome features. “But I think we can do a lot of good together. I’m the Chosen One, if you are by my side no one can mock or look down on you. But if you’re with just a pathetic priestess, she can’t do anything for you…” She was looking at me now with a derisive grin, but her expression crumbled into a grimace as K’llean grabbed her arm and pulled her back, ignoring her groan of pain.

“Don’t you dare insult her, if you want to live.” He spoke to her softly through clenched teeth, nothing but disdain visible in his eyes.

She glared up at the elf. “You need me for this plan.”

“Just try me.”

Stella pulled her arm out of K’llean’s grasp, looking over to Liam as if hoping to gain some sympathy. Liam refused to look at her, however, all his attention on me.

K’llean finally seemed nervous, his eyes meeting mine. “So what do you say, Belaire. This way no one is alone, and the forest is protected.”

The elder spoke up. “If you refuse this, Priestess, the dark magic elf will be banished from our village. You are still bound to protect us, however, by the oaths you made last night.

_The oaths._

The final oath I took, to stay, lead and guide the village.

“As long as light magic flows within you.” K’llean whispered with a triumphant grin. “That’s what you promised. So you have to stay. As for our _friend…_ ” He stressed the word. “He can either form a life bond with Stella, and find a new path to be happy, or he can be cast out into exile.”

“…”

“I told you I would bind you to me.”

“I promise that I’ll be a better partner than she ever could…” Stella reached out to grab Liam’s hand but he stepped closer to me, holding tightly onto me with both arms, outside of her reach.

“I’d choose exile first.” He growled the words, seeming closer to wolf than elf, his blue eyes glowing.

Stella’s face paled. “Why? WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT HER?”

_I’m done with this._

I threw my head back and laughed. “Alright, this has been fun. But I’ve had enough.”

“Belaire…” K’llean tried to speak, but paused as I turned to kiss Liam, pushing him a few feet away.

He looked at me, panicked, but I smiled at him, mouthing, “Protect yourself.”

He nodded, surrounding his body with dark magic.

“What are you…?” The elder started to shout, but it was too late. 

I released all of my power.

Everything in the village, people, animals, insects… stopped. Except for a small sphere that I left for Liam, as well as a small hole in the room in the back of the building, the light of my magic permeated every corner of the village binding them all in place. The air was thick with magical energy, making it difficult to breathe. The light was blinding, shining from every space available. I had grown my magic for ten years, feeding it my life force bit by bit. It was no longer the size of a fruit, but larger than two of the village put together.

Light magic was strong in wards and defense, and I had locked them within a perfect protecting prison.

“You want to threaten me? To threaten my chosen partner?” My voice echoed throughout the village, soft and dangerous. “You should consider whether or not you have the ability.”

I stepped forward, and Stella, K’llean and the elders were lifted up into the air, floating in front of me. The wanted to speak, to struggle, but couldn’t, their only outlet was to glare at me as I studied them with a happy smile.

“You should remember the oaths I took:” I counted off my fingers.

“I will protect the village to the best of my abilities.” I gestured to their frozen bodies. “You are surrounded in the strongest light magic, a great protection.

I lifted another finger. “I will push back the darkness with my greatest strength. Well, I’m stronger than any normal life bonded couple on my own.”

I looked over at Liam, ensuring he was safe, and sighed. “And finally, I will stay with you, lead you, guide you as long as the light magic shines within me.”

I stood next to my chosen partner, spreading my hands helplessly. “So you are right, I have to stay here. But if you try to force Liam out?” I shrugged. “I’ll just keep you frozen here, perfectly protected and unable to be harmed or harm others. I can keep this level of magic up for days, weeks maybe.”

K’llean’s eyes were dark, hopeless, as he watched me speak. I made sure I was looking straight at him when I added softly. “So everyone wins, right?”

“…” I paused as if to let them answer, although no one else could speak.

“So think about that carefully, before you try threatening me again.”

I snapped my fingers, releasing my magic. Everyone fell to the ground on their hands and knees, appearing almost as if they were bowing to me and Liam. Ignoring them, I held Liam’s hand once more and turned away.

“Liam and I will be married in a month, in line with tradition. Feel free to voice any complaints you might have, and I’ll give you satisfactory answer.”

We walked away. As I passed by the opening to the back room however, I heard a dark whisper.

**_Give in. You’ll be given everything you want._ **

_The amulet?_ I remembered the area my magic couldn’t penetrate in the back room. It was where the warded artifact was. _Why can I hear it through the ward?_

**_They’ll find a way to force you to submit to fate. To harm him._ **

I shook my head and kept walking.

**_You’ll never win against them on your own. You never have. If you help me, I’ll make you strong enough to guarantee his safety, without a life oath._ **

I turned to Liam, whispering. “Can you hear the artifact?”

He smiled as we walked out of the building. “No. But I wouldn’t expect to.”

“What do you mean?”

“It offers you power to achieve your greatest desires, tempts you to be corrupted by its magic. But I already have everything it tried to offer me the first time.” He leaned his head on my shoulder. “You told me you loved me.”

I felt a little embarrassed at that, and we walked together in silence.

“… it’s not pity, right? That’s not why you chose me?” Liam asked softly.

“No. That was just nonsense that K’llean made up to justify trying to force us apart.”

He sighed quietly. “Do you think he and I were truly friends? I resented him sometimes when I thought you would choose him, so it’s not like I don’t understand how he feels. But I’ll miss the time when the three of us could be carefree together.”

“K’llean… once he decides he wants something, he loses sight of who he hurts in the process.” _That part of him hasn’t changed from the original story._ “But at the end of the day, he does care about the forest, the village, and us. He tried to come up with a way that no one would be alone.”

“So, does that make us the villains?”

I grinned. “Maybe. But he could have just as easily agreed to be with the Chosen One as well. It’s not like he’s the saint in all this.”

“True.” He thought things over. “So was I your husband in our previous lives?”

“Nope. A minion and a support spouse.”

“So this is our first wedding?”

“Yep.”

“Good.” He looked up at the sky. “I hope I can remember this from now on.”

I kissed his cheek. “If you forget I’ll remind you.”

We went home.

___________________

A week passed. No one came to bother us. The elders made no more threats to exile Liam. No one cursed or threw things when we went to gather food or supplies, or when I checked on the wards around the village. I didn’t see any signs of K’llean or Stella either.

It was a peaceful week.

But it couldn’t last.

**Knock. Knock.**

A loud knocking woke us up. Liam, still in his wolf form, looked at me with panic. Getting out of bed, I threw some clothes towards him with a grin.

“What are you so nervous for? Just make sure you’re in human form and not naked by the time I open the door.”

Making sure my sleeping clothes were decently worn, I double checked that Liam was no longer a wolf or nude before answering the continuous, annoying knocks.

“Yes?”

It was K’llean, with a grim expression.

“You need to come to the gathering hut.”

Liam stood behind me, combing his hair with his fingers. “What’s going on?”

K’lleans eyes paused on my disheveled appearance and then glanced at Liam, a quiet rage building in his eyes. “While you two were selfishly holed up here, the amulet was stolen.”

“WHAT?” I ran back into the house, throwing on boots and a cape before racing towards the village center. “But no dark magic breached my wards. How did the Dark Lord get to it?!”

“It’s not the Dark Lord.” K’llean sighed. “It’s Stella.”


	11. Fantasy World 7

Liam and I stared at him in shock.

“Stella… the Chosen One meant to save the world… took the forbidden dark magic artifact?” I rubbed my forehead. “What is she thinking?”

“Well obviously she isn’t the savior that the prophecies have made her out to be.” K’llean laughed bitterly. “They got a lot of things wrong now, didn’t they?”

Ignoring him, I threw on a cape over my sleeping clothes, grabbed some boots and headed towards the village center. Liam and K’llean trailed behind me silently, keeping a good distance between them.

As I reached the back room where the artifact had been kept, I paused in the doorway, staring at the empty pedestal where the amulet had rested.

_Why would Stella take it and run off? Isn’t it the Dark Lord who is supposed to want the amulet? How far off course is this story?!_

“K’llean.” I turned slowly to face the elf, who couldn’t meet my eye. “Did you plan this?”

His face paled, and he backed away from me a few steps. “Belaire, I…”

“After your plan to _force_ me to form a life oath with you, to exile Liam or join him with someone else… Did you plan this next? As a way to force me to bond to protect everyone?”

“NO! I wouldn’t put the forest at risk like that…”

I grabbed his arm, stopping him from backing away further. “Then why do you look so guilty?”

“It’s not… I mean…” He trailed off staring that the ground.“Because…” 

“Because what?!”

“BECAUSE IT’S MY FAULT!!” The words burst from him as he finally met my gaze, the pain in his eyes shocking me into releasing his arm. “I was supposed to make sure no outsiders could enter… but in the end… I left her alone next to an unguarded room.” He looked over to the empty pedestal where the amulet had sat and groaned. “I failed in my duties, practically handing over something that could destroy our home. I ran away.”

I shook my head. “Why…?”

“If I had stayed in here any longer, I would have taken the artifact instead.” He whispered, crouching down, covering his face in his hands. “It spoke to me in my head, offering me everything I ever wanted: home… a family…” he looked up, guilt distorting his features. “…you.”

“So you ran.”

“And put us all at risk.” He stayed crouched down, seeming too tired to stand again.

 _K’llean… Stella… these characters are broken._ I sighed as I stared down at the desolate elf. _Is it all my fault? Did I change the story too much?_

_But… it’s not like I can just sacrifice myself for them like the original story called for._

“Get up.” My words were cold, but K’llean almost seemed relieved as he jumped to his feet.

“Belaire…”

I interrupted him. “Gather the best warriors you’ve got. We’ll track down Stella before she can do anything bad with the amulet.

“Priestess, bad news!”

_Dangit! Curse my foreshadowing mouth!_

I looked over, surprised to see Violet the fairy, waving her hands anxiously as she called out to me. I reached out to her, and she landed on my shoulder collapsing and trying to catch her breath.

“Violet, what’s going on?”

“The Dark forces are rising deep in the forest.” Her small hands clutched by hair, trembling as she spoke. “The monsters are gathering.”

I felt my stomach drop. “how many?”

“Too many to count!” Purple colored tears dripped from her eyes. “They destroyed our flowers!”

“And they’re on their way here.” Prince Henry walked in behind her, his face grim. “My men have confirmed it. A shadow monster horde. Larger than anything we have ever seen.”

“Stella?”

He winced at the name. “She’s… leading them. Her magic has converted to dark magic now, but it’s much more powerful than it ever was in the past.” 

To my surprise he fell to his knees in front of me, bowing his head in shame. 

“I’m sorry, Priestess. We brought the enemy right through your doors, claiming her to be the savior. I ignored her willful and selfish ways, spoiled her shamelessly, always thinking she was the one spoke of in the prophecies that would save us all.” His head slowly raised. “But I was wrong.”

I grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. “We all make our own choices, prince. And we will all face our own consequences for them. I won’t hold you accountable for her mistakes.”

“Thank you.” A small smile flitted across his features. “I almost wish _you_ were from another world. You are definitely someone I could trust with the fate of us all…”

_…_

I felt my smile stiffen in place as I turned towards Liam who winked at me, frowning back at him. Ignoring him as he broke into laughter, I finally met K’llean’s uncomfortable stare.

“Gather all the warriors, as well as everyone who can use magic.”

“Will we be able to defeat them?” He asked quietly.

“The horde? Definitely. Stella? It depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“Depends on just how much magic that amulet gave her.”

Taking a deep breath, I headed back towards my home.

“Where are you going?” Liam caught up with me.

“Changing clothes. I refuse to die in my pajamas.”

“…How about not dying at all?!”

I grinned, touching his face. “Of course. I haven’t kept my promise to marry you yet.”

“Belaire.” His voice was serious, catching my attention, forcing me to a halt. He seemed to be struggling to find the words to say, reaching over to pull me into a tight hug. “What if we’re not strong enough to beat them?”

“I’ll find a way.”

“But a life oath would multiply your strength ten times.” My face was pressed against his chest so I couldn’t see his expression, but his voice sounded near tears. “I can’t…”

“Liam.” I pulled back from his hug, reaching out to hold his face between my hands. His eyes widened at the short distance between us. “I won’t betray you.”

“But…”

“No buts.” I leaned forward, kissing him gently on the lips. “Stay by my side.”

“Okay.” Nodding with a helpless smile, we headed back to change.

Despite my confident words however, I felt a growing sense of dread. My mission was to push back the darkness without sacrificing the life of the priestess. It would have been fine if it was the original Dark Lord from the stories, but this was the Chosen One. She had already been powerful before encountering the dark artifact. If I wasn’t strong enough to take on Stella and the amulet alone…

**You can’t escape your fate.**

I shivered, feeling cold despite the summer’s warmth.

___________________________

“They’re coming.”

I stood at the main gate of the Elven Village, K’llean, Liam and Prince Henry at my side. Behind us were all the elven warriors, the rest of Stella’s party, as well as a few human guards that had come on the prince’s Request. We numbered less than a hundred, a pitiful few compared to the force we were facing.

I smiled at Liam. “Let’s move forward. I’ll keep a ward around the village, while everyone who can fight can try to take out as many monsters as possible.

“Wait.” Prince Henry frowned. “Why not just stay behind your ward if it’s so effective?”

“First, I don’t have infinite magic, and shadow monsters don’t tire like normal creatures. They would still be here long after my ward is down. Second, although it is a very powerful defense, I don’t know how much stronger Stella has gotten.” I gestured to the dark, shadowy forms in the distance. “She’s doing us the favor of sending her army in first, so we need to take the opportunity. If I have to face her and the monsters together…”

The prince grimaced, nodding his head. “Great, just great.”

“Regretting joining with us yet?”

“Give me a minute, I’m trying to find a suitably diplomatic answer.”

I laughed and walked forward, pulling Liam beside me. K’llean called out an order to the warriors behind us, and the elves marched behind, brandishing their weapons. I caught him glancing at me in the corner of my eye, and seeing my attention, he looked away uncomfortably.

“Don’t get hurt.” Mumbling softly, he drew his large sword, checking it over carefully.

“Same.” I closed my eyes briefly, finding my magic source and bringing it to reality. A light-filled dome surrounded the village, closing in behind the warriors that stepped forward. I opened my hand, and a sword made of light magic formed in it. Ready for battle, I watched, my heart racing as the twisted army approached.

One of the lead monsters, a seven foot long centipede-like creature with bright red eyes and large fangs, lifted its head up to the sky and let out a terrifying scream. The surrounding monsters, more than I could count, roared back, and then charged towards our small force.

The fight for survival had begun.

___________________________

I leapt forward, blade raised, slicing off the head of the centipede before slipping between the first line of creatures. Every step I was avoiding an attack, each movement a close brush with death. I struck left and right, leaving most of my technique behind. The monsters were so tightly crowded that even wild swings had a large effect. With each attack of my blade, light magic moved out in waves, burning and destroying the creatures around me.

To my right I could see K’llean, swinging his sword with both hands, taking out multiple creatures at a time with ease. The harsh training he had undergone, working tirelessly day and night to get stronger shined brightly, his movements flawless as he attacked in every direction. He coated his sword in light magic, occasionally sending out beams of it to assist some of the elven warriors who looked overrun.

_Even in battle he’s still looking out for them._

Liam hung back, avoiding getting in the way of our light magic attacks. His bow drawn he shot arrows made of dark magic into the crowds. The arrows disintegrated each of the bodies it passed through, a wholly deadly force. _It seems like as long as the dark magic is strong enough, it is definitely deadly even to shadow creatures, same element or not._

**ROAR!**

The angry cry of the creature in front of me brought my attention back to my own fight. Slowly, as I danced in between the monsters, I slipped into a comfortable mentality, one I hadn’t used since coming to this world. This was the me after Liam’s death in the zombie apocalypse. A warrior. Something that only existed to destroy all the monsters around me. I gave myself over to it, fighting on instinct, rampaging through their ranks.

I lost track of the hours, continuing to fight.

“She’s coming!” Violet’s whisper in my ear broke my daze, I sent out a wave of light magic, clearing enough space for our remaining fighters to fall back. As we gathered at the edge of my ward, I took gauge of our losses, feeling a pang as I realized that a quarter of our warriors were gone.

_This wouldn’t have happened if I had formed a life oath. I wouldn’t have had to reserve my magic in fear of fighting Stella._

_Selfish. Cruel._

Pushing these thoughts back, I had K’llean bring the fighters within the ward and turned back to see the situation.

Hundreds of shadow monster corpses littered the ground, splintered and broken. With my last magical attack the main wave had broken, the monsters fleeing back to hide behind their master who was walking slowly towards us.

Stella.

She looked the same but different. Dark mist surrounded her, moving restlessly along the ground, killing every plant it touched. Her body seemed unreal, as if the edges of her form were pushing against the air, breaking the reality around us. Her eyes glowed a bright red, the light in them pulsing in time to the glowing black jewel hanging around her neck.

She came to a stop a 50 yards away, speaking normally but her voice echoed in my ear as if she were right beside me.

“Belaire. I bet you weren’t expecting me…”

“Hey Stella. Going for a walk?” I smiled as I greeted her nonchalantly. “That’s great! Good for the health, you know, get outside, and breathe in that fresh smell of the rotting corpses of your evil minions.”

“YOU…!” Stella’s face distorted with rage, but I interrupted her swiftly.

“By the way, love the new look! The glowing red eyes really suit you!” I glanced down, grimacing. “Can’t say the same about your accessories, though, your taste in jewelry is just awful.”

“…”

“…”

Prince Henry sighed. “Please don’t antagonize the new Dark Lord before the final battle priestess.”

“What? I’m complimenting her!”

Stella couldn’t stay silent at that. “Shut up! I won’t let you annoy me this time around, elf!”

“Really?” I tilted my head quizzically. “Cause it sure seems like I’m annoying you.”

“SHUT UP!”

Prince Henry turned to Liam. “Can’t you rein her in a little?”

He shook his head. “No. I like her like this.”

“Don’t bother with them, Henry.” K’llean exited the ward after helping the last of the injured across. Ignoring Stella, he came to stand on the other side of me, shaking his head. “I’ve been trying for years to correct their bad attitudes without success. Something small like the end of the world wouldn’t be near enough to set them right.”

“Ah, I’ll bow to your superior experience then.”

I shrugged at Liam. “Why are they acting like _we’re_ the strange ones?”

“Beats me.”

“STOP IGNORING ME!” Stella’s voice was inhuman, a monstrous roar that echoed through the forest. Her power soared. The skies started turning dark as all the surrounding areas filled with dark magic.

_Ooh, that struck a nerve. Looks like becoming the new Dark Lord didn’t rid her of her inferiority complex._

I made sure Liam was out of the way, and then enlarged my ward to protect all of us, pouring as much of my magic as I could into it.

“You think you can beat me now?” Stella laughed excitedly. “You have no idea!” Her magic continued to grow, the trees and grass between us and her completely died as the space condensed with darkness. I felt the pressure against my ward, it bent inwards against the pressure.

The dome of my magic glowed brightly, but I could no longer see beyond it, everything outside my ward was filled with darkness.

_She’s… a lot stronger than I was hoping she’d be._

A hand wrapped in dark magic could be seen just outside my ward, the fist coming down to strike it with a large ringing noise. I felt a stabbing pain in my head at the blow, forcing myself to stay focused, to strengthen the ward.

Stella’s eyes shone through the darkness as she stood just outside my protective spell.

“Do you know what wish the amulet granted me?” Her whisper traveled across the space louder than a shout. “My greatest desire was to be strong enough to utterly destroy you.” Her fist slammed against the ward again. I swayed in place.

_Crap._

**BAM!** Her fist struck the ward again, fine cracks appearing at the blow. I hastily repaired them.

_Is this really it?_

_**BAM!** _

_All those years of work, of getting stronger, of slowly feeding my life force to grow my magic, and she can be twice as strong with a WISH?!”_

**BAM!”**

I felt a strong rage building within me; a frustration against the world that only gave benefits to the heroine, evil or no.

_I hate main characters._

**BAM!**

“Belaire.” Liam’s pained cry distracted me for a moment. I could barely see through a red haze that was filling my vision, I felt something warm dripping from my nose. I reached up to wipe it with my hand, and it came away bloody.

“You can’t beat her.” His voice was filled with agony, as if he were the one Stella was attacking with her fist.

**BAM!**

“I can handle it.” I struggled to talk, blood spitting out with the words. My head was splitting, the pain increasing with every blow.

 _I have to save everyone from the Dark Lord to finish the mission. If I fail…_ I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I felt in my heart that it would be worse than death.

_But the mission also states I can’t sacrifice my life like the previous priestess did. Given how powerful Stella is now, it would take every ounce of life force I have to beat her._

_Is there really no way?_

_“_ Belaire.” K’llean sighed stepping in front of me, his face hazy in my blood stained vision. “She’s too strong.”

**BAM!**

Blood was dripping constantly on the ground, I pressed my hands against my head as if to hold it in.

“Please.” He begged. “Please, form a life oath with me.”

“No.”

“It’s okay if you don’t love me. But if you can’t combine your magic, you’re going to die!”

“…” I shook my head, having a hard time speaking any more.

**BAM!**

“PLEASE!” He grabbed my face, his tear-filled eyes the only thing I could see. “Don’t throw your life away! Even if you form the life oath, I’ll let you go with him! I won’t bind you to me, just don’t die!”

All nice sounding words. But he was wrong. A life oath would bind our souls together. For me to leave him would mean tearing his or my soul, like the priestess had suffered in the original story. There was no simple way to untangle a life oath.

_But the harsh truth was I didn’t have enough magic to win._

“I could try.” Liam’s defeated tone made my stomach drop, even as I struggled to hold on to my ward. “If I fuel my magic with all of my life energy, I might have enough to win. “

“Don’t you dare!” I snapped, trying to focus through the pain. “I won’t lose you again!”

The look on Liam’s face as he died in my arms in the zombie world was imprinted on my brain, unable to be removed. _I missed my chance in the last world. I can’t let him sacrifice himself for me again._

**BAM!**

“Belaire, please. It’s the only way to save us all.”

_Is it?_

I felt like everything had slowed to a standstill around me.

_Is this the only way? A life bond with K’llean? Is this some sort of twisted destiny I can’t avoid?_

_Is this my fate?_

____________________________  
_

**I walked down a path, silk cloth rustling as I moved. The garden around me was beautiful, teeming with life, the heavy scent of flowers hanging in the air.**

**“Mistress! Please slow down!” A voice called behind me, but I didn’t turn back.**

**“I can’t! He’s waiting for me!” My voice was filled with anticipation, excitement.**

**_With love._ **

**“MISTRESS!”**

**A white blur rushed past me, landing with a crash at my feet. I paused, my feet slowing coming to a stop as I stared down with confusion and growing horror.**

**_A dove?_ **

**It had dived into the ground in front of me, landing head first on the stone path. Its neck was bent at a severe angle, clearly broken, its form was still.**

**_Why?_ **

**From the ruined mess of flesh that had been its head, blood pooled, far more than could ever be contained within the body of such a small creature. The red liquid condensed, forming letters at my feet.**

**YOU MUST ACCEPT YOUR FATE**

**“No.” I was whispering, my head pounding, my vision tunneling.**

**“MISTRESS!” I head one last scream behind me, before I felt my whole body descend into darkness.**

**___________________________  
**

“No.” 

I spoke out loud, blinking back a memory that had overwhelmed my senses, coming and leaving without warning. “I won’t accept my fate.”

K’llean was crying now, trying to heal me even as I continued to sway on my feet. “Belaire… I know you love him, but magical attributes are an integral part of magic. It cannot be changed.”

_Wait._

_It can’t be changed?_

_Isn’t that what we said about the amount of magic? That we are born with a fixed final amount? But I proved that wrong. The priestess proved it wrong in the original story._

_Magic can be changed._

_It just comes at a price._

I looked up at the sky, laughing with relief.

“Liam.” I called out softly, immediately feeling his hand grasping mine.

“Yes?”

“If I told you there was a way to save everyone, AND stay by my side, but that it would cost you almost everything, would you do it?”

His hand tightened on my own, as he answered without hesitation. “Even if you want my life, its yours.”

**BAM!**

“I won’t take everything.” I turned around, pushing away K’llean’s hand that was applying healing magic and grabbed Liam’s face, bringing it close to my own. “But we’re not going to live long after this.”

“Belaire!” At K’llean’s shout I turned to look at him

“Get ready to protect the village, my magic won’t work well for wards in a few moments.”

“You…”

“I’m sorry, K’llean.” I smiled. “I’m not a heroine. I’m actually pretty selfish.”

Before he could answer I looked back at Liam and kissed him deeply.

The ward around us disappeared, but K’llean immediately replaced it, his face turning bright white at the strain. He was powerful, but nowhere near my level.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOUR STRUGGLES ARE MEANINGLESS!” Stella screamed as she attacked again. “I AM THE CHOSEN ONE!”

**BAM!**

We didn’t have much time.

I drew Liam’s magic towards me, our kiss dampening my gasp of pain as I felt it burning even as it just came near my soul. The light and dark attiributes were truly opposites, repelling each other even before they could touch.

But magic could be changed.

I drew from my life force, feeling it quickly drain from me.

Deep inside I felt a panic, an emotion not mine but from the priestess’ remnant.

_I’m not sacrificing myself, Priestess. At least not my whole life._

Before I drew too much, I began pulling life energy from Liam as well. The power within me was bursting at the seems, and I applied it to my magic without hesitation.

One of us had to change to combine. We both needed to be light or dark.

I started changing my magic to dark.

As I used the energy to change the magic within me, I felt the light that shined deep within my soul turn black. My hair which was always a golden blond, turned black at the roots, the color slowly taking over the long locks hanging down my back. It was painful, deeply painful. Not just losing my life force but the changing of something so integral to my existence was pure agony.

Which is why I changed my magic and not Liam’s

Besides, _dark magic is a better fit for a villainess like me._

As my magic changed attributes, I quickly began forming a life oath with Liam, our thoughts integrating with each other, saying the words of the oath silently between us.

_I trust you with my life, my heart, my magic._

_I will walk hand and hand and face all danger with you._

_I promise to stay by your side forever, until there is nothing left but dust._

As the last of our magic combined, I whispered out loud. “I love you.”

The life oath was complete.

___________________________

As the magic combined, just as they said, the amount was ten times or more my natural source. Reaching for the unfamiliar dark magic, I stepped outside the barrier, smiling at Stella.

“Hey, Chosen One.”

Her dark magic crumbled around her, being overwhelmed by a much stronger force.

“Turns out you aren’t so special after all.” As her magic was crushed, I lifted her up into the air, separating the amulet from her.

_**I can give you everything you wanted.** _

I heard the faintest of whispers from the artifact, before using my dark magic to crush it to pieces. After not being able to leave even the smallest scratch on it when I had tried to destroy it months ago with light magic, the dark magic easily consumed it, seemingly breaking it down from the inside.

“NOOOOOOOO!” I wasn’t sure if it was Stella or the amulet that screamed in pain and anger, but I didn’t care. I walked closer to the heroine, my magic holding her in place. Leaning forward, I whispered in her ear.

“You’re not the only world traveling girl around. And I’m a lot meaner.”

Before she could respond, I reared my arm back and punched her in the face. She fell to the ground unconscious.

I heard cheering behind me, but I ignored it as I placed my hand against her head, using my powers to burn up all traces of her magic. When it was done, I leaned back with a sigh. 

“You’re not going to kill her?”

“Too easy.” I grinned. “The thing she hated most was being unimportant. And now she’s completely powerless.” I stood up, cleaning my hands. “You can have her. Imprison her, cast her out in exile. I don’t care. Just don’t kill her.”

It wasn’t that I was against killing. I had already done plenty of that. But I wasn’t sure what would happen to a story world whose heroine was killed early, even a broken one like her.

Turning around, I stumbled a bit, the loss of life energy and the depletion of my magic making me feel drained. An equally tired but happy looking Liam placed his arm around my waist, supporting me.

“Thanks.” I smiled at him, feeling the comfortable bond of his soul against mine.

Liam placed his forehead against mine. “Anytime.”

“… I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

I sighed. “I had to use up the majority of our life force. We’ll only be able to live another five or ten years.” Compared to the centuries that the life expectancy of elves normally ran, it was a blink of an eye, but Liam just shrugged, unconcerned.

“Better five years as your husband than hundreds without you.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Noted.”

“…” An awkward silence fell as we reached K’llean, who was staring at me with a lost expression.

Finally I smiled sadly at him. “Sorry, K’llean, I won’t be able to be the priestess anymore.”

K’llean stared at my newly darkened hair, nodding slowly.

“Liam and I will get married, and then I think we’ll travel around…”

“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” A loud shout interrupted us, as the elder of the village came out of hiding, glaring at me. “I don’t know how you CORRUPTED your magic, but you will fix it immediately!”

I chuckled. “Sorry, can’t. Even if it wouldn’t literally kill me to change it again, I’m already bonded to Liam here.”

“YOU BLASPHEME YOUR HOLY ROLE!”

“You’re welcome, by the way, for saving the village… and the world.” I shrugged. “But I’m not your priestess anymore, and I don’t feel like sticking around and waiting for you to figure out how to use my newly upgraded magic for your own benefit.”

“You can’t leave! You made oaths to stay and lead us!”

K’llean laughed, but it was a deeply sad sound. “She can leave anytime she wants. Her oath was to stay, lead, guide and protect us for as long as the light magic shines within her.” He smiled at the elder, gesturing at my changed appearance. “As you can well see… it no longer shines. So she’s free.”

“YOU…”

“Just shut up.” Sighing with frustration, K’llean applied magic over the elder’s mouth, as I had done multiple times in the past. I nodded with approval, giving him an awkward smile

“Thanks…”

“Don’t thank me.” He interrupted, no longer meeting my gaze. “You would rather risk everything, giving up the majority of your life span, than choose me.”

“…” I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. He was speaking the truth.

His eyes finally met mine, but the pain in them was hard to watch. “It’s better if you both leave sooner than later. The village won’t forgive what you’ve done.”

“… Will you?”

“Forgive you?” He gave a helpless smile, looking up at the sky. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Then I’ll say goodbye, K’llean. I’m glad you were my friend.”

I took Liam’s hand and we walked towards Prince Henry, but behind us I heard a soft whisper.

“Live well, my friends.”

I felt a deep sense of relief and gratefulness. The last of the Priestess’ remaining emotions. I had saved her people, and found my own happiness. I smiled, feeling the last remnant of her faded away.

“Rest in peace, Priestess.”

In front of me formed bright blue words.

**100% complete.**

****** You have finished the mission! ******

**Stay in this world?**

**YES/NO**

I smiled, and for the first time in response to this question, said “Yes.”

**Granted.**

**You will be transported to the next world at the end of your character’s natural life.**

I was almost knocked over as Liam knocked into me, grabbing and holding me tightly to his chest, his face desperate.

“What’s wrong?”

He looked confused. “I don’t know. I just felt for a moment that you might leave me, and I was terrified to let you go.”

I grinned, kissing him. “Don’t worry. I’m here to stay.”

___________________________

We lived for eight years together as husband and wife.

Although the life oath was more intimate than any title, Liam insisted that we hold a ceremony in the capital of the human territory. Prince Henry helped him plan it out, and since I was the technical savior of the world, it turned into a rather large party.

Looking at the lavish decorations, the happy faces and magical lights floating in the air like balloons, I felt something within me relax.

_I wish the Blood Wolves could have seen this party. Although they would have complained about the lack of explosive balloons and weapons._

The fairies had shown up, dancing in the air and drinking too much wine. Violet became a purple blur as she whizzed over our heads, shouting “Congratulations!”

K’llean was invited, but he never came.

___________________________

After the wedding, Liam and I traveled the world. Exploring dungeons, riding desert creatures, diving into the deepest of the dwarves mines, we tried it all, hand in hand.

One night, as we slept under the stars, a thought occurred to me, and I asked him.

“What do you think you would have done if we never met?”

Liam frowned, holding me tightly against his chest. “We did meet though. We’re married. No take backs!”

“No, I just mean, hypothetically, if you and I never met, what do you think you would have done?” I leaned into his embrace, patting his head comfortingly. It wasn’t as soft as his fur in his wolf form, but I did still like touching his hair.

“It… wouldn’t have ended well.” Liam sighed. “I was already on the brink of completely losing myself. I spent more time as beast than elf. If I hadn’t met you… I think I would have left to get stronger, and eventually come back to destroy them… maybe destroy everything.”

“So if you had run into the woods and say, found the amulet…”

“I would have immediately taken the power it offered.” Liam nuzzled my shoulder. “I’m not a good person, Belaire. Do you regret it?”

_Did I marry the original Dark Lord?_

I shrugged. “I’m not a good person either, so I think we’re even.”

___________________________

After six years, we ran into Stella again. It was on the streets of an outer human town. We had come back from a monster slaying quest, and had just turned in our spoils for a good profit. As I skipped next to him, happily counting our coins and discussing the lavish meal we would buy with it, I heard an angry shout.

“YOU SHOULD ALL FEAR ME!”

Liam eyes met my own.

“Is that…?” I hesitantly asked.

We both looked over. A disheveled young woman with wide eyes rushed towards a random pedestrian.

“I AM THE CHOSEN ONE! THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!” She shook her head, confused. “No…. wait… I’m the DARK LORD! I will destroy you all!”

I stared at her, feeling conflicted.

 _What are the odds that we’d run into her?_ I shook my head. _Nevermind, she’s the heroine, she runs into everyone._

I hadn’t liked her, in either the original story or this lifetime. But there was no escaping that I had changed her life.

Stella sat down, glaring at the ground. “If it weren’t for that stupid elf priestess, I would be living wonderfully. They’d be pampering me, protecting me… IT’S ALL HER FAULT! I’m going to kill her! Tear her to pieces!”

_Well… not gonna lie… that makes me feel a bit better._

Liam was uncomfortably silent for a few moments. “Do you want me to kill her?”

I kissed his cheek, pulling him away. “Thanks for the thought, but she’s not a threat anymore.”

We left her behind, and never saw her again.

___________________________

Years passed, we lived each day side-by-side, happy to be in each other’s company. But all things come to an end, and as we came close to the eight year mark after the defeat of the Dark Lord, I could feel the life energy within me running out.

“Liam.” I held his hand. “I want to go back to the forest.”

He stared at me quietly for a few moments, and then smiled. “Of course.”

When we entered the village, I noticed a few differences. The area was bustling, filled with activity. There were more people from other races, traces of multiple types of magic being used. I walked further in, hand in hand with Liam, staring around in excitement.

“Belaire?” A familiar voice called out, and we both turned to see K’llean standing off to the side, watching us with a complicated expression. Despite the passage of time, he hadn’t aged much, other than a gentle maturity in his eyes.

“K’llean.” I smiled tiredly at him. “We’re home.”

He brought us to a large home in the center or town, one that hadn’t existed when we left eight years ago.

“Is this yours?”

K’llean smiled. “Yeah, it’s mine.”

“How’d you get such nice place?”

“Well…” Before he could answer fully, the door slammed open and a young warrior elf barged in.

“Elder, that brain the advance class is causing trouble again, can you come yell at him? You’re the only one he’s scared of.” He then noticed Liam’s and my presence. “Oh, sorry, didn’t know you had guests… dark magic elves?”

K’llean rubbed his forehead. “T’nial…”

“Do you know Belaire and Liam?” The young elf was too excited to notice K’llean’s warning tone. “They had dark magic too! They saved the world, you know, and they’re from our village!”

“T’NIAL!”

“What? Come on Teach, you act like you don’t talk about them all the time.”

Liam and I grinned. Seeing our expressions, K’llean frowned walking to the door.

“Out. Now.”

“But…”

“Or do you want to take over training the youngest class?”

“I’m heading out now!” With a cheerful wave, T’nial ran out, leaving a slightly awkward silence behind.

“Elder?”

“You talk about us?”

Liam and I asked different questions at the same time.

He sighed in response. “Yes I am the new village elder since the last one died three years ago. No I don’t talk about you all the time.”

We sat down, and K’llean made us some tea. As he poured, he asked quietly. “So what brings you two back? I thought you weren’t planning to come back.”

I leaned back in my chair, smiling at Liam. “We came back to die.”

**CRASH!**

K’llean’s hands faltered as I spoke, dropping the cup onto the floor, which shattered into multiple pieces. He blinked, staring down at the mess in confusion, and then looked up at me again.

“What did you say?”

“Our life energy is running out.”

“… “ He grabbed another cup, starting to pour tea again. “How long?

“A week, at most.”

He sat down hard, putting his head in his hands. “You really know how to break news, huh?”

“What do you mean? I’m super sensitive!”

Liam started to chuckle, a sound that he quickly disguised as coughs. I glared at him, causing both K’llean and Liam both lose it and laugh loudly.

After things had calmed down, K’llean sighed. “You two haven’t changed.” Pausing he added. “No… you’re happier than you ever were here.”

“You’ve done well too.” I grinned. “The village is so exciting now.”

“Just a few small changes.” He shrugged. “If we stay mired in our past, we’ll never move forward.”

“…K’llean?”

“Yes?”

“Can we stay here until the end?”

“…” There was a long, tense silence before he finally grinned. “Until the very end.”

There were tears in his eyes, but we all ignored them.

___________________________

A week passed quickly. I spent time walking the forest with Liam and K’llean, visiting our old training spots, seeing all the new changes with a smile. We argued constantly over trivial memories, none of us mentioned the fights that had truly torn us apart.

My energy ran out first, which didn’t surprise me as I had originally taken more from myself than from Liam. As I rested in bed, feeling the remainder of my life fade. K’llean sat down to say his goodbyes.

He reached out and held my hand. “I‘ll always love you, you know.”

I smiled at him. “I know. I love you too.”

“… just not in the way I wanted.”

“No. But you’re family, whether you want it or not.”

He laughed, gripping my hand as if he was afraid to lose it. “No, I want it.” Taking a deep breath, he added. “I’m sorry, that I tried to force you two apart.”

“It’s okay, fortunately you’re terrible at being the villain.”

“Fortunately.”

“…”

“… Did I ever have a chance?”

I sighed quietly. “No. It was always him.”

“Well… at least you’re honest.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, his eyes closed to hide his tears. “I’ll go get your husband before he thinks you’re running off with me.”

“K’llean.”

He paused, looking back at me. In his eyes I still saw the shadow of the arrogant boy declaring that he was the strongest elf and would protect everyone. “Yes, Belaire?”

“Live well. Be happy, please.”

“Hmm…” He leaned his head against the doorframe, forcing a smile. “I was fortunate enough in this lifetime to love you. How can I not live well?”

He left, and Liam came by. Skipping the chair by the bed entirely, He laid down next to me, gathering me in his arms.

“Liam, sorry, I have to go first.”

“… You should be sorry. Next time don’t divide things so unevenly.”

We hugged silently for a few minutes, before I finally spoke up, my voice soft.

“I’m scared.”

“Don’t be, I’m here.”

“What if I can’t find you in the next world?”

He paused at that. “Even if you don’t, I’ll find you.”

“But you never remember me.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll love you each time we meet.”

I leaned close, kissing his cheek. “Good. Next time, you chase me, courting you is exhausting.”

“I’ll listen, wife.” Liam smiled. “I’ll definitely chase you next time.”

“Don’t forget your promise.” I tucked my head against his chest. “See you in the next world.”

He hugged me tightly. “See you soon.”

I closed my eyes, and in the darkness, bright blue words formed.

**CHARACTER LIFE AT END.**

**TRANSPORTING TO NEXT WORLD…**

I felt the brief nothingness between worlds, and almost instantly arrived in the next one. Surprised, I realized I was still lying down, but the soft bed beneath me had been replaced by a hard flat surface.

I opened my eyes, but saw nothing but darkness. Trying to sit up, I immediately hit my head on something hard.

“OUCH!” the sound as I yelled with pain was muffled. Concerned, I reached around, realizing the confined space I was in, Just big enough to hold my body laying flat. As I felt the velvet inner lining around me, I came to a grim realization:

I was in a coffin.

“SON OF A…”

___________________________

K’llean sat up as he saw Liam enter the room, dried tears on his face.

“Is she…”

Liam nodded. “She’s gone.”

He let out a breath he felt he’d been holding all day.

_She was gone._

Ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest, he looked up at the dark haired elf. “How much longer until you…?”

Liam shrugged nonchalantly, sitting lazily down on the chair in front of him. “I’ll go in a little bit. No use staying here without her. But you looked like you wanted to talk first.”

K’llean’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you so different?” The change after Belaire had passed was striking. He looked the same, his form unchanged, but his eyes…

They were suddenly filled with a sense of deep wisdom, of strong power…

Of horrifying sadness.

Liam smiled. “I only get to remember things at the very end. Kind of a middle finger to me from the universe as I realize just how futile our goal is.” He shook his head. “But you don’t need to know all that. Why don’t you ask the questions you really want to know the answer to?”

“…”

“Come on, don’t be shy, I’m in a bad mood right now, so I’m much more likely to tell you the unpleasant truth than a sweet lie.”

“…Why did she never even consider me?” K’llean threw up his hands. “We met when we were kids, for crying out loud! I know I was little annoying…”

“Very annoying.”

“I know I was _very_ annoying, but I matured, grew strong. I always stayed by her side, supported her, helped her… but she never even thought about loving me the way she did you.” He leaned back with a groan. “I just don’t know why.”

“Well, leaving out the complex discussion of my amnesiac wife being the woman you fell in love with, and how you’re lucky you struck out… the easy explanation is that you already had your chance, and you blew it.”

“I what?”

Liam looked up in the sky, seemingly silently conversing with something. “You owe me.” He muttered out loud, before opening his clenched hand to reveal a small red object. ”Ooh, a red pill, very sci-fi.” He tossed it to K’llean, who caught it, looking at it uncertainly.

“What is….”

“Swallow it.” Liam spread out his hands. “It will give you memories that you never should have had. Of this world as it was before my wife fixed it for you.”

Feeling a deep sense of dread, K’llean lifted the pill to his mouth and swallowed it. Immediately it felt that his head was splitting open and he fell to the ground, gagging.

“Oh you can’t throw it up. Knowledge, once you gain it, is yours forever.” He grinned. “Serves you right.”

K’llean blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of the completely different lifetime of memories that he had acquired. “I… married her?”

“Well, not really her. You did grow up with the Priestess. You married her. You betrayed her, and watched her die to save you and your lover.” Liam’s gaze was cold. “Now do you understand? You never had a chance because you already wasted it.”

“No… this isn’t right. Belaire… she never would have taken things so calmly… I could never turn my back on her.”

“On Belaire… no. On the priestess… definitely. You see, in the original, you grew up thinking you were the greatest. And the priestess always just agreed. You were an entitled, selfish brat who had everything, including affection, handed to you, and you thought it was what you were owed.”

“What I was owed…” K’llean winced. “It makes me sound like Stella.”

“Exactly, which is honestly why it’s surprising you hit it off with her so well. I assume it was some main character magic forcing the issue, at least partly.” He leaned forward. “At the end of the day, I don’t think you really loved the Priestess. I think you were fond of her. You saw her as a friend, as a companion. But, she was never as important to you as your happiness.”

“I…”

“My wife on the other hand… She ran circles around you!” He laughed. “No matter how hard you tried, you could never be stronger than her. She worked harder, cared more, and did it all without ever looking your way. You learned from her how to care for others, how to put everyone else before yourself. But you never lost that desire… the desire for family, for that perfect happiness that you sensed was within reach but could never touch.”

Liam stood up. “You went a bit crazy back then… but all protagonists do when the world that used to revolve around them suddenly grows bigger. It seems that you’ve become a good person despite it all, and I applaud you for it.” He started walking back to the room where Belaire had rested.

“Where are you going?”

“To follow my wife. She’s gone to the next world without me, and I can’t let her down.”

K’llean stood up. “What if… what if I followed her… tried to win her over this time?”

“You could.” Liam laughed. “But you wouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“It costs too much.” 

“I’m willing to pay any price!”

Liam shook his head. “You know, you’re better than that other asshole that half-heartedly follows her now. I actually thought you might be him for a quick minute… but you’re too messy in front of her. That guy always has to be the perfect hero, because he thinks that’s what she wants. He refused to sacrifice anything really, so he can’t follow her carefully, he just depends on that damned protagonist luck of his.”

“What are you…?”

“You’d probably be willing to give up your life, your future, even your memories… But what about the village?”

“…”

“What about those kids out there that you’re teaching magic to? What if the cost was all of them as well?”

“…” K’llean hung his head, surprised when Liam patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s okay. That’s why you’re a hero.” His body started being covered in a black fog. “And why I’m a villain.”

Now in wolf form, the familiar dark blue eyes seemed to be laughing as he disappeared into the room next door.

Stunned, K’llean followed after him, only to see the two lying side by side, no longer breathing.

“You both keep calling yourself villains.” He muttered to himself. “Why can’t I believe it?”

___________________________

**Seven hundred years later…**

K’llean found the old cave, the one where Liam, Belaire and him used to practice in. His bones creaked as he laid down, looking at the familiar patterns on the stone ceiling.

“I lived a long life, Belaire. I was happy enough I think. Are you proud?”

_There was no answer._

He laughed softly, tears forming in his eyes. “I miss you, you know. Even after all these years.”

He rested in silence, counting his breaths, only to be shocked by the formation of bright blue words in front of him. He reached out to touch them, but his hand passed right through them.

“Magic?” He whispered, staring at the words.

**Do you plan to reject your fate and follow?**

“Follow?” His breath caught. “You mean see Belaire again?”

**Yes.**

Part of him wanted to shout “yes.” But he remembered that conversation with Liam all those years ago.

“What would it cost?” he asked instead

Paragraph after paragraph filled out in front of him, which he read with increasing horror.

“Liam, you bastard.” He finally whispered. “No wonder you call yourself a villain.”

He sighed, leaning back and covering his eyes with a hand.

**Do you plan to reject your fate and follow?**

K’llean laughed bitterly to himself. “No.”

_You were right, Liam. I wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice that much._

The words disappeared, never to be seen again.

As his breathing slowed, K’llean hummed a old childhood song to himself, dreaming of a day in the forest, when a young elf girl with bright green eyes saved his life with a confident smile.


	12. Vampire Romance 1

I was in a new world, and I was most definitely not happy.

_Why am I in a coffin? I better not be buried alive in this story!_ _Unless… this couldn’t be another zombie apocalypse right? With me as the zombie? I would like to absolutely refuse that setting, thanks!_

Feeling around in the pitch darkness, I noted that my skin was smooth and unbroken, without signs of rotting, causing me to sigh with relief. I also found that I seemed to be wearing a silk dress.

_Well… at least if I’m a zombie, I’m a well-dressed one._

I reached up nervously and pushed on the coffin lid, half expecting it not to move due to the weight of dirt and such I must be buried under. To my surprise it opened easily, the lidding slamming on its hinges as if I had kicked it full force rather than lightly pressed against it.

 _Light!_ _Finally!_ I sat up and looked around. It appeared that I was in a large, lavishly decorated room. There were no windows, the only light in the room provided by multiple candles, which numbered in the hundreds.

_That must be a huge pain to keep changing those out._

The ceiling was high above me, fading into darkness. The walls were decorated with intricate paintings with golden frames as well as dark red banners with silver symbols sewn into them. Everywhere i looked there was something expensive and luxurious looking.

_Am I rich in this world? Sweet!_

I climbed out of the coffin, noting that it was placed in the center of the room, made of a dark well polished wood and lined with red velvet.

_A rich… goth?_

I looked around the room, happy to note that there was a mirror hanging on one wall in an ornate frame. Standing in front of it, I felt surprised by my appearance. It was definitely… different… from the last world.

As an elf, I had been tall, slender with long golden hair (prior to the dark magic transition of course), green eyes and delicate features.

Now I had bright red hair that hung in waves to my waist, pale white skin and red eyes to match.

I was also short.

 _Isn’t this a little too short?_ I had been about 6’3’’ in my previous life in the elf world, and I felt I was a good foot shorter now. I was also more… filled out. I grabbed my chest, mildly impressed.

_Pretty decent curves in this world. Neat!_

“Would you like some privacy to grope yourself longer Miss, or should we get the day started?” A dry voice called out, startling me.

I dropped my hands, turning around to see a tall slender woman in a butler outfit, with slicked back short dark hair, and a expressionless face that somehow managed to be disdainful at the same time.

_Shoot, I don’t have my character’s memories yet! What should I call her?!_

“Hello… Lady butler person!”

_Oof. Not smooth._

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Did you hit your head climbing out of your coffin? You’re somehow even stranger than normal… Miss.”

_Does she really work for me? It seems like that “Miss” was said super grudgingly!_

“I’m just a bit out of it after sleeping too long.” I tried to explain it vaguely, but she nodded as though this made sense.

“You did sleep for 2 years this time. “

_2 years?!!_

“I always believed that your kind were very industrious, at least that’s what the legends said.” She sighed. “Obviously they hadn’t met you.”

“…” I felt insulted. It wasn’t like I chose to sleep for that long.

“Well, Miss, as much… fun… as this conversation has been, now that you have awaked the vampiric council would like to greet you to discuss an urgent matter.”

_Wait… Vampiric Council? I’m a vampire?!!!_

I moved closer to the mirror, opening my mouth. Sure enough, my two incisors were pointed, extending slightly longer than normal.

“Wait…” I leaned back. “I’m a vampire… then my reflection…”

The disdainful stare of the butler was painful to bear. “That’s just a legend, dumba… Miss.”

_She was definitely about to say “dumbass,” right?_

I looked down at the black silk gown I was wearing. “Should I change first?”

“I mean… there’s no rule that you can’t attend in your nightgown…”

I sighed, rubbing my head. “Can you get me a change of clothes, please?”

“Of course.” She bowed and backed away quietly and efficiently, leaving me staring into my own tired expression reflected back in the mirror. I needed to figure out the mission and get this character’s memories before I made an even worse fool of myself.

_This character doesn’t seem like the type to own a cellphone._

“Open mission.” At my command, bright blue words scrawled across the mirror.

**** **CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!******

“…You’ve got to be kidding me! Didn’t it take 12 worlds to get to level 2? How on earth did I level up so fast?”

**Your level continues to progress as you… do well.**

“Come on, that’s so vague and unhelpful!” Despite my complaints, the blue words continued to write in front of me.

**At level 3, you will be granted a benefit from the previous mission world. This benefit will be assigned at random.**

“Well, I guess that’s better than nothing. What benefit did I get?”

**ERROR. Information unknown.**

“Figures.” I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “Well, at least I didn’t really expect anything helpful from you. Can you tell me about the mission, please?”

****** NEW WORLD: Night of Blood******

**This is a tragic horror romance story starring a young teenage girl named Chelsea, who encounters the strange and dangerous world of the undead. After coming across an injured vampire named Alexander, she saves his life by feeding him her blood. This handsome and suave vampire, intrigued by the special quality of her blood, starts a relationship with her, drawing her deeper into the secret war hidden from the daylight.**

I stared at the words in front of me, feeling tired. “No. Please no. Anything but a teen vampire romance novel. Please, I’m begging you. I’ll even face zombies again!”

**The couple faced opposition to their love, both from the proud clan of vampires who looked down on humans as well as the powerful vampire hunters who thought that all undead should be permanently put to rest. Chelsea had volunteered to be turned into a vampire, but Alexander refused, as the process was said to change the very nature of one’s soul.**

**The author, unsure of how to resolve the conflicts in a reasonable manner, decided to end the book abruptly with the male and female lead choosing to take their own lives rather than be separated. This was a very unpopular decision with readers, leading to a sharp decline in popularity and a destabilization of the world.**

“So they actually finished this one, but badly? Interesting.” ****

**The author’s main regret is resorting to a quick and easy tragic end to the story. Your mission is to resolve the conflicts within the story, ensuring a happier ending for the story’s leads.**

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

I thought things over carefully. “The mission is just to ensure a happy ending for the leads? Does that mean they must get together successfully?”

**As long as the characters themselves are satisfied, there is no need for a successful romantic end.**

“Cool. Then sure, I accept the mission. Although I don’t know why I’m bothering to clarify. Do I have the option to say ‘no’ now that I’m level 3?”

**No.**

“Then just transmit the memories. I have work to do.”

**Would you like to select a name?**

“Belaire.” It was the name I married Liam with in the last world. I wanted to keep it.

I sat down on the ground, the marble floor uncomfortable beneath me as my mind was assaulted with a rush of memories from my character.

She was a vampire Queen, one who had lived for centuries. Proud, confident, vain, she considered being a vampire the very height of perfection and everything and every one else beneath her notice.

Alexander was a younger brother to her, converted by the same master, tying them to the same sacred line. Their master, one of the great Ancients, departed for lands unknown shortly after bringing the male lead to her side, leaving her to teach him the ways of the vampire clan. She had mentored him, cared for him like family, and saw him as a very important part of her life.

But he betrayed her.

He took on a young naïve human girl as his partner, spitting in the face of their clan’s pride, and openly defying her in front of the council. She tried to “save” him by tearing them apart, but all of her schemes and plots went awry, leaving her more estranged from him than before. It had become her obsession, the idea of regaining her family, and in her inattention the vampiric council had risen up and rebelled against her.

In the end, Alexander and his human lover killed themselves, leaving the vampire queen stunned and broken hearted. She barely even fought back as the vampire hunters, tipped off by the council, found her and drove a stake in her heart.

I shuddered at the memories. _Another sad, lonely villainous character. She didn’t want to lose her only family, and in the end lost everything, even her life._ Fortunately in this story, she didn’t seem to have any romantic feelings for the male lead, only viewing him as her younger brother. After the strong remnant emotions of the elven priestess, the vampire queen’s felt more like a gentle disappointment, a lingering regret.

She just wanted to save her brother.

I grinned to myself. _Fortunately this story was taken over by an expert in brother behavior modification._ I let out a loud, villainous laugh, feeling relieved.

All those years as an elven priestess, it just felt… wrong… to laugh like that in that form. Not that I hadn’t indulged now and then, to Liam’s amusement.

_Liam._

I put my hand to my heart, feeling a strange throb.

_Wait._

I focused on the familiar sensation, closing my eyes. Sure enough i felt a familiar pull deep in my soul, causing me to smile. 

_The life oath._

Liam and I had bound our souls together in a life oath in the previous world… it was faint but I could still feel a remaining connection to him here. My vision swam with tears as I let out a long sigh of relief.

 _He followed me here. He’s in this world too._ Even though he had been there in the previous three worlds, deep down inside I had been afraid.

Afraid I’d lose him **again.**

 _Again?_ My head started hurting, a dull aching throb as my mind desperately tried to fill in the empty space that existed in my memories. I had had a few flashes here and there in the previous world, but no matter how long I waited, no new memories surfaced. I shrugged it off, trying to prepare myself mentally for the task ahead.

“I have your clothes, Miss.”

“AHHH!” I let out a startled shriek as my butler, who I now knew to be named Selina, held out a dress with a disdainful stare. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“A servant’s job is to be unseen.” She smirked. “Besides, you were too busy laughing like a lunatic to notice me when I walked in.”

I winced. “Forget what you saw and heard.”

“I wish I could, Miss.”

I sighed. I didn’t know what happened to Selina after the death of my character in the original story, but I knew it couldn’t have been good. Her family had been serving me as human familiars for generations, and although she was… snarkier… than I would like, I would try my hardest to help her avoid a tragic fate.

As I got into the black silk gown, I reached out and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to protect you.”

“I’m so reassured.” She answered in a monotone.

“I DO need you to prepare something for me. It might seem a little strange, but it’s important.” I described what I needed in great detail, ignoring her increasingly incredulous look.

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I know what I’m doing, Selina.”

She let out a long-suffering sigh. “Of course, Miss.”

With her agreement I felt a surge of confidence, and started towards the door.

_Time to get this story started._

**BAM!**

I immediately stepped on the edge of my gown and fell face first onto the floor.

…

_So apparently years in high school and in shorter elven garments haven’t prepared me to walk in floor length gowns._

“Are you all right, Miss?”

I got back to my feet with a groan. “Nothing hurt but my pride.” I glanced over at her, noting she hadn’t moved a single step since I tripped. “Aren’t you supposed to try to help catch me if I’m falling?”

“Yes of course… but given that vampires are supposed to be innately _graceful_ creatures, I assumed that you were leaping to the floor on purpose.”

“…”

“Who am I to assume the complex depths of a vampire’s mind?”

Feeling exhausted already, I headed out the door, taking smaller step to avoid disaster this time.

_______________________

“Greetings, Lady Belaire.” As I entered the large, poorly lit conference room, a group of well-dressed men and women stood up and bowed, waiting for me to sit in the ornate throne in the front. I glanced around the space as I walked past them, feeling a little appalled at how much money it must take to make a room look as grand and ancient as this.

_Why do vampires have to be so dramatic about everything?_

I sat down on my throne with a flourish, resting my chin on a well-manicured hand as I stared down at them.

_Then again, I’m fairly dramatic too, so I guess I fit right in._

“What do you need to speak to me about, so close to my awakening?” I sighed loudly. “I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

Selina leaned down silently beside me, offering me a goblet filled with blood on a gold encrusted tray. I hid my surprise, taking it from her, pretending I wasn’t completely shocked at her ability to sneak up on me.

 _Aren’t vampires supposed to have good senses? She can’t teleport, right?_ As I contemplated my servant’s seemingly magical abilities, an older looking vampire moved to the front of the group and bowed deeply.

“We apologize for disturbing you, Lady Belaire, but news of a most shocking kind has come to our attention.”

_Ah. This is when they told her that her brother has become obsessed with a human._

I looked down at the goblet of blood in my hand, frowning. _This smells awful. Like pennies, but like somebody with bad breath licked them. Am I really supposed to drink this? Fortunately I don’t think vampires can starve to death… but if I don’t drink this after I’ve picked it up, won’t people think I’m weird? The original character died when the vampiric council had thought her to be distracted and weak. It’s probably best to avoid showing them any openings._

Not able to hear my off-topic thoughts, the vampire must have taken my expression for one of disapproval, as he started to stutter nervously.

“I- um… w-we wouldn’t have… we can always tell you later?”

 _Maybe I can offer it to him to drink? No, that sounds weird, even in my head._ “Speak.”

“Your brother… Lord Alexander… has been seen fraternizing with… a h-human.”

 _Eureka! Opportunity to be dramatic AND get rid of the nasty blood!_ I smiled, showing my fangs and causing the vampire to flinch. “Could you repeat that? I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

“Lord Alexander has been consorting with a hum…”

**CRASH!**

I threw the goblet of blood at the vampire’s feet, causing the foul smelling contents to splash all over him as well as the floor. Leaning back in my chair, I tapped my chin and stared down at him, maintaining my cold smile.

_Success! No more blood to drink!_

“Are you all so bereft of things to amuse yourself with that you feel the need to frame my beloved brother?”

“Milady… I swear I wouldn’t…”

“Spare me your nonsense.” I interrupted him, waving my hand. “Perhaps I should let you spend some time with my lovely servant Selina until you start speaking properly?”

He somehow turned paler than before, pushing his face into the bloody carpet and begging loudly. “I swear I’m telling the truth! PLEASE DON’T SEND ME TO HER!!!”

 _Wow. He’s even more afraid of her than me!_ I glanced over at Selina, who had faded into the shadows of the room, barely visible even with my supernatural vision. She smiled and gave me a thumbs up, looking enthused.

_Remind me not to get on her bad side._

“Well, then if you are going to insist on these ridiculous lies behind his back, let’s at least let my brother be here to defend himself.” I made a gesture, and Selina disappeared.

“…” A tense silence filled the room. 

As things dragged on, I slowly became caught between my desire to maintain a dramatic villainous atmosphere and my loathing for awkward silence. The latter half of me eventually won.

I began whistling a tune from the original character’s memories, not noticing at first the increasingly strange looks that the vampiric council was giving me. When it did come to my attention, I looked at the memory closer, soon realizing with horror that I was whistling a raunchy bar song about a shepherdess and a knight. Unfortunately, at this point I was too far into it to pretend it was a different song, so I doubled down and whistled it louder instead.

_Come on male lead, what’s taking you so long?!_

“Lord Alexander has arrived!” As they announced my character’s brother’s arrival at the door, I stopped whistling with great relief and stood up to greet him.

“ Sister, are you throwing a party without me?” A handsome young man walked towards me, an amused grin on his face. His appearance was young, like that of a 17 or 18 year old, his skin smooth and pale. He was tall, at least compared to me, with a slim frame. His long dark hair was pulled up behind him, with a few stray strands hanging around his face. His eyes, like my own, were a deep red color, the intensity of them making even the casual observer want to look closer.

“Well who told you not to be here when I woke up?” I smiled back at him, reaching out to comb his hair with my hand. I could still feel a faint affection within me, a remnant of the character before me.

“Sorry didn’t mean to be late, I was just sending Chelsea back home.” The fondness in his voice as he spoke the heroine’s name was apparent. I stepped back, pretending to be ignorant and asked the obvious question.

“Who is Chelsea and why would she matter more than seeing your sister?”

Quickly, as if afraid I would interrupt him, Alexander explained how he had been attacked by vampire hunters outside of a boarding school, left for dead in an alleyway, only to be saved by a student there who offered him her blood.

“Her blood is like nothing else I’ve ever had, Belaire!” He waved his hands excitedly. “I healed up in an instant! Not days or weeks. Minutes!”

“So you killed her and drained all of her blood for later use?”

“No! Why would I… I couldn’t…” At my harsh question he began to turn red and stammer, looking away.

“Have you begun a romantic relationship with that human?”

“NO! I mean… not yet… She IS beautiful… and sweet and caring…”

“Come on!” I sighed loudly. “What are you thinking?”

“I know you won’t approve since she’s just a human. But if I turned her, there’s no guarantee she’d be the same person afterwards…” He began to babble, sounding desperate, so I put a finger to his lips, stopping him from chattering further.

“Oh, dearest brother mine… it’s not the fact that she’s a human that I’m worried about.”

Alexander’s jaw dropped. “It’s not?”

“IT’S NOT?” One of the vampiric council shouted, only to cower quietly as I looked in their direction.

“No. Selina, did you prepare what I asked?”

“Yes Miss.” Without changing her expression, the female butler handed me a glass apparatus filled with clear liquid, fitted with a small metal pump and a nozzle.

Alexander eyed it warily. “What is that?”

“Not important. What is important are the questions I am about to ask you:” I smiled at him. “You said she was a student at the boarding school? How old is this… Chelsea?”

“Sixteen, why?”

“Sixteen… Hmmm… And how old are you, brother?”

“I was seventeen when Master…”

“How. Old. Are. You?”

He looked down at the ground. “Two hundred and thirty seven.”

“And you didn’t see any problem?!!!”

“But I…”

**PSST!**

A stream of water flew out of the nozzle as I pushed the pump, spraying Alexander in the face. He sputtered, wiping the moisture with a disgusted look.

“What is this?! And why does it smell so bad?”

I grinned. “This is my brother behavioral modification tool, also known as a spray bottle. And the smell is because this is the ‘Vampire Brother Special Garlic Edition’!”

“Are you craz…”

**PSST!**

I sprayed him again, feeling nostalgic. _I wonder how Adam did after I left. I hope he hit it off with that coffee shop girl._ “I’m not the one running around with an actual child. You may look seventeen but you are an ancient undead being. No amount of pretty or nice makes up for the gap between you. The only saving grace is that you’ve just been talking and at least haven’t begun a formal relationship yet.” My smile widened. “Then I wouldn’t be so nice as to just spray you with garlic water.”

“So I can never be with her?” He wiped his face with his handkerchief, looking uneasy.

I sighed. _He’s only known her a few days and is already this concerned. All love goes to the heroine, as always._

“I didn’t say that. Give her time to grow up. Time away from you so that she can be a healthy, well-rounded adult. Someone who can actually understand the implications of a relationship where one of you never ages and the other is mortal, rather than viewing the whole thing as ‘romantic’ or an ‘adventure’.”

Alexander flinched at my increasingly harsh tone. I reached up and patted him on his damp, garlicky head. “And then, and only then, you can try courting her. If she still wants to be with you, despite all the disadvantages, you will have my blessing.”

“Really?”

“Really. But remember, she must grow up outside of your influence. Otherwise I’ll continue to spray you.”

Slowly, Alexander nodded. “You’re right sister.”

“… Pardon?” _It can’t be that easy, right?_

“I said you’re right.” He smiled at me. “I should have realized the imbalance of a relationship if started now. It would only be harmful to her. I must have not been thinking clearly over my excitement over her special kind of blood.”

_Wow… The brother behavioral modification strategy is super effective in this world!_

“I will write her a letter and explain that I will be away for a long time, but that I hope to meet her again one day.” He looked back at me, half wincing as his eyes fell on the spray bottle. “I-is that okay?”

“That’s fine!”

“IT CAN’T BE!!” One of the vampires of the council burst out. “HOW DARE YOU AGREE TO LORD ALEXANDER BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A HUMAN?!!”

“Don’t worry, He’s not going to be creepy anymore and give her time to grow up…”

“THAT’S NOT THE PROBLEM!” He shouted, throwing up his hands in frustration. “Humans are food! Sheep to be slaughtered! Weak useless beings that will die in the blink of an eye! If he’s not going to turn her, why in the world would we agree to such a relationship?”

 **“** Oh shush.”

**PSST!**

I sprayed the vampire for good measure. He rolled around screaming in agony while rubbing his eyes. _Oops, looks like lesser vampires are a wee bit sensitive to the garlic in the water._ I knelt down next to him, watching the effects with a raised eyebrow.

“Look here, buddy. I’ll make sure my brother walks the line of decency, so you don’t have to concern yourself with his private life. “ I stood up. “Times are changing, ladies and gentle-vampires!”

“Gentle-vampires? That’s kind of lame.” I heard Alexander whisper.

“Super lame.” Selina was not whispering.

I cleared my throat awkwardly. “We are going to make peace with the vampire hunters, and all live long, happy and prosperous lives!”

“…”

“I will take your frowns and uncomfortable silence as hearty agreement! Have a wonderful night everyone!” With a wave I sped out of there, fortunately able to avoid falling until I was outside of the door, seen only by Selina.

“Stupid dress.”

_Well one thing’s for sure. Liam wasn’t Alexander in this world. Not that he would be… in the last two worlds he was definitely the villain… maybe even in the reverse harem world too, now that I think of it. He WAS the bastard half brother of the male lead there, after all. That’s a perfect set up to try to ruin the hero and take over his father’s company._

_Why IS he always the villain?_

To be fair, since I had no idea why or how he was following me from world to world, or even why I was going from world to world in the first place, the fact that he was the villain and I was always a side character or villainess was probably the least of my worries.

“Belaire, wait!” I heard a call behind me and turn in time to see Alexander’s bright grin before he pulled me into a tight hug.

“Mrpph…” I tried to speak but my face was crushed into his chest, which was still damp and smelled of garlic. Finally he let me go, laughing a little as he rubbed my head.

“Thanks for knocking some sense into me! I promise from now on I’ll do my best to be a brother you can be proud of!”

 _Wow, another sensible male lead? Haven’t seen that since…_ I tilted my head, studying him closer. “Eric?”

Now he looked confused. “Eric? Who’s he?”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I just was thinking about something different.” _I must be crazy._ He looked nothing like the protagonist of the zombie world, after all.. But still, something about him… his mannerisms, his reasonable way of speaking, a certain look in his eyes… they all strongly reminded me of the hero who had fought beside me in the apocalypse.

_Well, with so many worlds, I was bound to meet a few similar characters, I guess._

I bid him goodbye, heading back to my rooms, all of my thoughts turning to the meeting with the vampire hunters in the near future. They had been the main antagonists in the story, the cause of my character’s death, and a huge obstacle to the main leads finding happiness. A peace treaty with them would fix all my problems. 

_This is definitely a good idea!_

_______________________

“I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Alexander, standing to the right of my throne, muttered nervously.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the goblet of blood at the table next to me with dismay. _Dangit, this smells bad too. I guess I’ll just be thirsty all the time in this world._ Feeling depressed, I glanced over at the male lead. “It will be fine, they’re just humans.”

“JUST HUMANS?” he shook his head. “Haven’t you heard the stories about their leader? They say he is a walking catastrophe, a giant who carries a massive sword, bringing death wherever he goes.”

“That’s certainly… impressive.”

“He bathes in the blood of his victims to gain their strength, and wrestles wild beasts for fun.”

“Okay… now it’s just getting weirder.”

“And that he stomps his enemies into dust, and then uses that dust to polish his sword…”

“Pretty sure that wouldn’t even work.” I felt a small tugging feeling in my chest, rubbing a hand idly over my heart. “What did you say his name was?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t. I don’t know it. No one does.”

“Hmm…”

“Regretting the meeting now?”

I grinned. “Nope, he sounds fun! I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

“The Vampire Hunters have arrived!” An announcement came at the door. I sat up in my throne, feeling excited.

“We should have at least made the council be here. I don’t know if I can protect you alone!”

I waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, I can defend myself. Those idiots on the council would just say something stupid and make this harder. It’s better if it’s just the two of us.”

“If you say so.” His tone was doubtful.

Before I could retort, a large group of huge, muscular men bristling with weapons walked forward, stopping about twenty feet from where I sat. I looked over their warlike appearances, raising an eyebrow.

_Doesn’t quite look like they’re here to for a peace treaty._

I settled my uneasy thoughts and stood up. “Who speaks for you?”

“I do.” A low voice answered, and I felt a strong tug within my chest at the sound. A man stepped forward, even taller, stronger and more fierce looking than his companions. His dark hair was cropped short and messily arranged. He was mostly clean-shaven, although it looked as if it had been done hastily, and some stubble was still decorating his face. 

The man seemed confident, standing casually before his natural enemies as if he were at a party instead of a high-tension negotiation. His dark blue eyes looked amused as they stared up at me, the gaze strange but completely and utterly familiar at the same time.

He grinned and made a formal bow, the move slightly awkward with his large, muscular frame. “I greet the vampire queen.”

I sighed with relief, smiling widely back. “I’m very pleased to meet you at last… Liam.”


	13. Vampire Romance 2

The throne room fell awkwardly silent.

“Who’s Liam?” Alexander asked, looking over at Selina, who shrugged silently.

“HOW DARE YOU?!” A young voice shouted out. In my peripheral vision I saw a teenage boy step forward, his face red from fury. “I don’t know what black magic you used to steal our leader’s name, you monster, but don’t think we’ll fall for your threats!”

The burly, heavily armed vampire hunters raised their fists, roaring their agreement, but I refused to look at them, or the teenager inciting them. All my focus, my entire being, was fixated on the man standing in front.

**_Liam._ **

My gaze met his own, my now red eyes staring into his familiar dark blue ones. There was no question this time, no doubt or insecurity. I could feel him through our life oath, fainter than it had been in our past life, but undeniably there.

As the silence hung between us, I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest. _He never remembers._ I told myself. _This time won’t be any different._

I knew it in my heart, had seen it three times already, but part of me couldn’t accept that our years of married life had been erased from his memory just like that. That I was the only one who carried our promises forward.

Liam walked forward, his face solemn, stepping away from his group and towards the throne I sat on. I stood up, feeling slightly unnerved as I realized I only came up to his chest height.

_This height differential is super annoying. Why the heck is this character so short?_

Before I could be distracted too long, however, the large man knelt, our eyes now close to the same level. I blinked in shock, wondering why he chose to go down on both knees, his weight making a loud bang with the impact, rather than a more controlled single knee. The group of hunters behind him stared open mouthed, but before anyone could comment on his actions…

“I’M SWITCHING SIDES!”

“…” We were surprised back into silence.

Finally I worked up the nerve to ask. “For what?”

Liam smiled. “Your side.”

“… Pardon?”

“I don’t want to be a vampire hunter anymore.”

“LEADER!! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!” The teenager vampire hunter had turned pale, the men beside him holding him back as he tried to rush forward.

I ignored him, focusing only on Liam. “Why don’t you want to be a vampire hunter?”

“Because I want to be your human familiar.”

Selina coughed awkwardly from the sidelines, her glare making me flinch with fear.

“Sorry, I already have a… wonderful… and not at all terrifying… butler who serves in that capacity.”

He sighed sadly. “Of course…” Looking down at the ground, a thought seemed to occur to him and he grinned again. “Can I be your blood slave then?”

Now the whole room had descended into uncomfortable coughs.

I stared blankly at him. “My what now?”

“Your blood slave!” Liam waved his overly muscular arms, blushing slightly as he explained. “You know, the humans that vampires trap and keep close to slowly drain them of their blood?”

I rubbed my forehead. “And you WANT this?”

His face turned an ever darker shade of red. “If I get to be by your side, then yes!”

“… There’s no such thing as blood slaves.” 

That would be a little… extreme for this world. _It’s from a romance novel for teens for goodness sake!_

Liam looked surprised. “No such thing? Can’t you make an exception?”

“No.”

He stared at me morosely, forcing me to look away. _How can a burly man his size do such effective puppy eyes?!_ “Is there no way I can stay by your side?”

I smiled at his words. _He may not remember me truly. He may have forgotten our vows, and the years spent traveling around the Elven world…_

_But he found his way back to my side._

I reached up and patted his head. “You could always marry me...”

“DEAL!” He leapt to his feet, picking me up in his arms and hugging me tightly, my feet dangly several feet above the ground. “No take backs!”

I stifled a sigh against his heavily armored chest. “Can you let me down?”

“…” Liam hesitated. “I kind of like carrying you. You’re conveniently travel-sized, wife!” With a movement he turned me around, allowing me to sit in the crook of his arm. I shook my head, leaning back in to his hold and looking up at him with concern.

“Liam.”

“Yes, dear?”

“You realize we just met, right?” _Why do I end up saying this every time we meet?_

“That’s not important.” He shook his head. “What’s important is that I spend the rest of my time by your side.”

“I’m a little worried that you’re so trusting of me.”

He grinned down at me, the expression rougher than the face I had been used to in the elven world. “The moment I saw you, I knew my life goal was to pursue you and stay by your side. If I don’t trust you, who should I trust?”

_He remembered his promise. To pursue me in this life._

I felt my view fill with tears.

I had been alone for so long. So many story worlds, with no memory of who I was or why I was traveling. Interacting with people who hated me or ignored me because I was just the villain or the side character. But now it was different. There was someone who recognized me. Cared for me.

**I wasn’t alone anymore.**

“Dear?” A large hand gently wiped away my tears. “Did someone make you cry?” He glared at his former colleagues.

“No.”

He looked even more worried. “Are you tired or hungry?”

I laughed, blinking back any further tears that threatened to slip out. “It’s Belaire.”

“Belaire?” Even whispered, my name sounded wonderful coming from him.

“My name. It’s Belaire.”

He hugged me tightly. “I’m glad to finally meet you, Belaire.”

“WHAT IS GOING ON?!” The teenager vampire hunter shouted, stomping his foot.

Alexander stepped forward, his pale, handsome face radiating disapproval. “That’s what I would like to ask.”

“Shut up, bloodsucker, I don’t need you to agree with me!”

“Idiot says what?”

“What?” The boy finally registered what Alexander had said. “YOU SON OF A…”

**PSST**

Selina sprayed the cursing hunter with the brother modification tool before fading back to the sidelines. “Mind your language in front of my idiot bos… I mean the Lady.”

“…” He wiped the garlicky water from his face, equally confused and furious. Finally he turned his attention back to Liam and me. “Leader, you’ve been enchanted by this monster! You need to get away from her.”

Liam silently looked around.

“What’s wrong?” I finally asked.

“I’m trying to find something to throw at him that won’t kill him.” He sighed. “I could just walk over and punch him, but then I would have to set you down, and I really don’t like that idea.”

“You’ll have to put me down eventually.”

“Hmm... We’ll see.”

“Who is he by the way?” I looked at the teenager hunter carefully. He had dark hair and rough, handsome features very similar to Liam, except that his eyes were green. “He looks a lot like you… is he your son?”

Liam shuddered, shaking his head frantically at my suspicious gaze. “No, he’s my younger brother, Theodore!”

“DON’T TELL HER MY NAME!!!”

“How could I possibly have kids? We just met today!” Liam stared at me for a long moment, and then blushed. “I mean… if you really want them…I’ll prepare myself…”

“Prepare yourself?”I rapped on his head with my fist. “Who asked for kids, huh?”

“I’m just saying, I’m willing to cooperate…”

“I’m undead, Liam. I can’t have children. That’s not how vampires are born.”

I honestly wasn’t sure if even in a normal setting I could have kids. This was a fictional world, and my soul was a traveler in it. Liam and I had never had any children in the elven world, but that could be explained by the elven people’s low birthrate.

I turned his head to look down at me with my hands, staring into his eyes seriously. “I’m not human. You’d be giving up any chance at a normal family. Do you understand?”

Liam nodded, his face serious but his eyes filled with happiness. “Just the two of us, then. That’s everything I need.”

Our sweet moment was interrupted by Theodore once more. “Brother! You can’t…”

“Everyone!” Liam shouted, talking over him. “I’m happy to announce that after much negotiation, the vampire queen and I have decided to form an alliance, sealed by our marriage… which will be performed later today.”

I shook my head. “It’s already evening. I don’t think we can arrange things that fast.”

“… Which will be performed tomorrow!” He looked around with a satisfied grin. “Does anyone have any objections?”

Everyone in the room, including Selena, Alexander and the hunters raised their hands.

“Good, glad to see we all agree!”

“No one agreed to this ridiculous plan!” Alexander snapped, his red eyes showing his irritation.

Liam shrugged, “Belaire and I both agree, and that’s all that matters, really. I was just asking to be polite.”

“It’s not polite if you immediately ignore their objections, though.” I whispered.

“I see... “ He thought it over. “Next time I won’t ask then.”

“You’ve been brainwashed, brother!” Theodore drew his sword, his face grim. “ We’ll save you from these monsters.”

“Now I’m mad.”

I patted Liam’s cheek as he glared at his brother. “Don’t be mad, it’s just a little fight. We can take them.”

“But I just got used to holding my wife, and I already have to set her down!” Liam scuffed his shoe against the floor. “It’s just not fair!”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Everyone in the room stared at Liam incredulously, before turning slowly to look at me, their gazes weirdly sympathetic.

I rubbed my head again. “Just set me down Liam, It’s time to fight. “

“Fine, but I want extra wife-holding time to make up for it.”

Alexander drew a sword, coming to stand by us. “She hasn’t married you yet, human!”

“Who are you?”

“That’s Alexander.” I introduced him with a smile. “He’s my brother.”

“Oh, my little brother-in-law? Nice to meet you!”

“I’m not your brother-in-law! Now, let go of my sister, you beast!”

Liam hugged me tighter, as if afraid I would be snatched away. “No!”

“DROP HER!”

“NO!”

“I’ll save you, brother!” Theodore joined in on the chaos, running forward with his group.

As they yelled, I turned my attention inwards, and was surprised to feel a familiar core of dark energy within me. _Dark magic?_ It was small, the size of an apple, tiny compared to what I had in the elven world…but it was definitely there. But _I don’t remember there being dark magic in the book…unless…_

_Didn’t the instructions say I would get a benefit from the previous world?_

“You’re looking for death, drawing swords in the presence of vampires!” Alexander turned toward the new threat.

“EAT STEEL, BLOOD SUCKER!”

“DIE, SMELLY HUMAN!”

I took a deep breath. “Everyone, will you please... SHUT UP!!!”

I pushed out the magic I had. Shadows burst from me, grabbing weapons and dissolving them into rust.

“What the…?” Theodore began to exclaim, his face pale with fear, but my magic grabbed him and his group, throwing them out the door and slamming it closed behind them.

“…” It was finally silent. 

“What… was that?” Liam asked, his eyes shining with respect.

I felt faint, my vision tunneling. “Dark magic.”

“Belaire… are you okay?”

“I just need… rest…” My ears were ringing. I leaned against Liam’s shoulder, trying to breathe.

“BELAIRE!”

The last thing I heard before darkness overtook me was Alexander shouting my name, his normally calm face distorted with fear and rage.

_______________________

**“A sacrifice?”**

**I felt cold, even as I stood in the warm afternoon sun. The pleasant sounds of birds around me, the beautiful sight of flowers in every direction, the fresh scent of herbs and grass.. all seemed dull and mocking as I stared at the man in front of me.**

**He had devastatingly handsome features, with light blond curls framing his charming face. Light blue eyes stared into mine. He was smiling, as beautiful as a painting, but the expression left me chilled.**

**“There’s an order to everything. Rules. Law. They are all that stand between us and pure chaos. No one can ignore them. Not you. Not even me.”**

**I felt a burning anger building in my chest. “Then sacrifice yourself, asshole! Why send me?”**

**He shrugged. “It’s your role to play, not mine. Your fate.”**

**“Screw fate! I don’t care if you say it’s temporary or not! Friends don’t sacrifice friends! Don’t you care about me at all?”**

**His hand reached out and brushed my cheek, the touch freezing my skin. “Don’t look at me with those eyes. It won’t help anything. It’s not my fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame the story.”**

**“Ad…”**

**“Sorry, you must accept your fate.” I felt a pinch in my arm, the stick of a needle as he injected something into the muscle. Immediately darkness overwhelmed me.**

**“We all have to.”**

**_______________________**

“Belaire?”

The sound of my name shattered the dream. I slowly opened my eyes, waking up in my now-familiar coffin, the smell of herbs and leaves still lingering in my senses. Liam’s gruff appearance filled my vision as he leaned over the edge staring down at me, the well polished wood creaking under his weight.

“Liam?”

He smiled widely as I called his name. “You’re awake!” Reaching down, he lifted me out of the coffin and carried me over to the couch, where he sat down, placing me in his lap.

“You don’t have to carry me everywhere.” I cocked my head to the side, staring at him. “I am able to walk, last time I checked.”

“Are you sure, Miss? I’ve seen you walk in a dress.” Selina rolled her eyes, standing coldly nearby. “It is probably safer to let this… person… carry you. At the very least it will be less embarrassing.”

“I’m not embarrassed…”

“I meant less embarrassing for me, for having such a clumsy mistress.”

As I took critical damage from Selina’s words, Alexander walked in, his expression worried.

“Is she awake yet?”

I smiled at him. “Sorry to worry you.”

“Don’t apologize.” Alexander rested a gentle hand on my head, his face solemn. “I just want you to be safe.”

_What a nice brother! Finally some decent family members... I haven’t had that since I got Adam straightened out in that reverse harem world._

“Now, what was that ‘dark magic’ you used?” He sat on the chair opposite us, ignoring Liam completely.

I shrugged, unsure of how to explain it. “I don’t know. Just found out I had it today. Maybe it’s a vampire power?”

He stared at me silently for a few moments. “I’ve never heard of that sort of power before.”

“Glad to know you know every single vampiric power in existence.”

“… Good point.” He sighed, rubbing his head. “How are you feeling now?”

“Tired, drained.” It reminded me of my previous life when I used to grow my magic by feeding it my life force. _Maybe I used too much. I am used to having much more magic than I currently have now._

Alexander reached out, grabbing my hand and pressing a fingernail, then pulling down my lower eyelid and looking at the color with a frown. “You’re anemic. That magic must have drained your power. You need to feed.”

Selina, right on cue, set a goblet of blood in front of me. As the foul smell hit me, I gagged, tucking my face against Liam’s shoulder to avoid the stench.

“Are you okay?” Liam touched my face, his dark blue eyes worried.

“It smells bad.”

“I mean… I agree, but I’m not a vampire. Aren’t you supposed to like this stuff?”

I shook my head, confused. _Is it because my soul changed? I don’t have any memory of this character disliking blood in the past…_

“Did you form a blood bond?” Alexander’s voice was cold, angry.

I flinched, startled. “No. You’ve been there the whole time I’ve known Liam, how would I…”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be with him.” Alexander’s gaze seemed to bore into me. “Did you blood bond with anyone?”

_He sounds pissed. Is he just being protective of his sister?_ I ran my hand through my hair distractedly, thinking over his words. 

_A blood bond._ A fated connection between a vampire and another person, typically their lover or spouse. It could only be done once in a vampire’s lifespan, forming a contract between the two lives. Once formed, the vampire could only drink the blood of the bonded individual, as they would automatically reject the blood of others. If this was formed between two vampires, it would be seen as a closer tie than any other, forming an extricable bond between the two.

But between a vampire and a human… the human’s life was limited. Once the partner died, the vampire would no longer be able to feed. And although a vampire couldn’t die of thirst, they would slowly lose their powers, fading away. And even if the partner was turned, because the soul changed, the bond was broken and the vampire would suffer the same fate as when the human died.

A blood bond with a human was a dead end.

Alexander had formed such a bond with the heroine in the original story, one of my character’s main concerns. She had not wanted to see him tie himself to such a fragile, temporary existence. She had wanted him to live freely and happily, a beautiful and powerful immortal being. Her only family.

_But why is this body acting like I’ve formed a bond?_ I frantically searched my character’s memories, horrified by the idea that I might have been tied to someone else before I took over the role, but fortunately there was nothing.

I spread my hands helplessly. “I don’t remember doing anything to form a bond.”

“How long have you been unable to drink blood?” Alexander asked, watching me thoughtfully.

“Since I awakened.” _Since I took over the vampire queen’s body._

Alexander turned towards Selina. “You were guarding her, did anything happen during her rest?”

“She snored.”

“I mean anything unusual.”

Selina’s face didn’t change. “You underestimate the power of the Miss’s snoring.” She sighed. “But no one went near her. She was perfectly locked in and safe… the same could not be said for me, who had to listen to that horrific noise for 5 years.”

“When did you wake up?” Liam asked suddenly.

“A few days ago, why?”

“It… might be me, then.”

Alexander growled, his red eyes glowing with rage. “What did you do to my sister, human?”

Liam put his free hand up. “I didn’t do anything, I swear! But… a few days ago, something changed in side of me… a connection, deep within my soul. I was worried about it, confused… until I saw you.” He smiled. “Then I knew who I was connected to, and was glad it was there.”

Once I heard his words, I sighed with relief. _Of course, the life oath._

It was imprinted on our souls, the connection from our last lives. I could still feel it within me, had felt reassured by it. _Maybe… it changed to fit the story of this world. Since there’s no such thing as a life oath, it became a blood bond instead?_

_Would it follow us in one form or another to every world from now on?_

I smiled at the thought, and nodded at Liam. “I feel the connection too.”

“Then let’s try it! You can drink my blood!”

I stared at him. “You sound a little too excited about that.”

He blushed, staring down while playing idly with my hand. “You know… my neck… biting…”

Selina frowned. “How uncivilized. No one drinks directly from veins these days.”

“They don’t?” Liam looked dejected. _How much was he looking forward to this?_

“No, We’ll collect your blood into a vessel, and she can drink from that.” The butler pulled out a dark metal box, opening it to show a brand new silver needle and syringe, as well a glass bottle of rubbing alcohol.

He shrunk back, hugging me tightly. “That’s a big needle.”

“You don’t want to help her then?”

“No…I do.” With a shudder he held out his free arm, tucking his head into my shoulder and holding me tightly with the other arm, as if he were afraid to look.

I patted his head. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to.” His voice was firm, despite his timid appearance.

Serina prepped his arm, and then paused. “Before we start, I have a few questions regarding your intentions towards her. If answered wrongly... I will have to take action.”

He didn’t look up. “Go for it.”

“You want to marry my idiot mast… ahem, I mean my _lovely_ master, correct?”

_She just does this on purpose right? Everyone could hear what she actually said, right?_

Liam didn’t hesitate.“Yes. “

“What if your family disapproves?”

“As long as Belaire approves, that’s all I need. “

“What about her family?”

“My answer is the same.”

Selina’s eyes narrowed. “What if someone wanted to hurt her?”

Liam still didn’t look up, but his arm around me tightened slightly. “I won’t let them.”

“What if someone did?”

“I’d destroy them.”

“What if the world protects them?”

He laughed, an evil sound. “Then I’ll destroy the world.”

_Wow, that was a perfect villain laugh! 10/10! I want to applaud. The words he’s saying are a little ominous though. Selina will probably scold him…_

Selina nodded. “You pass.”

_What?_

_“_ Barely. You should have at least this much resolve if you’re going to be the partner to my master.”

With that she cleaned the skin with the alcohol and stuck the needle into a vein on the inner portion of his arm. Drawing up blood efficiently and quietly, she placed a compressive bandage over the needle site and stepped away.

Liam sighed with relief. I touched his arm, my finger barely brushing his skin.

“Sorry.” _I won’t die of thirst, I should limit this in the future._ I was weak and drained from using magic. I needed to make sure to only use it in emergencies if the only way to recover was drinking Liam’s blood.

“Don’t apologize.” He lifted his head, looking into my eyes with a smile. “I’m glad to help my wife.”

“You’re not married yet.” Alexander broke in harshly. “We don’t even know if you’re truly blood bonded…”

“Here is the blood, Miss.” Selina handed me a fresh goblet. I felt uncomfortable, knowing it was Liam’s blood, but at the same time…

It smelled sweet and delicious, like cookies baking in the oven. I felt my mouth water, and lifted the glass to my lips.

_______________________

**“Why are you so sick?”**

**I was lying in bed, uncomfortable, cold sweat breaking out all over my body. I gritted my teeth, glaring up at the form I couldn’t make out well in the darkness.**

**“I never asked to be here!”**

**The person chuckled. “That makes two of us.”**

**“…”**

**“Here.” A rough cup was shoved into my hands. “Drink this.”**

**“What is it?”**

**“…blood.”**

**“WHAT?” I tried to sit up, but was too weak. “I don’t want…”**

**“You don’t belong here. You’ve already stayed too long.” His voice was sad, lonely. “Your very nature means that you will be rejected by this place.”**

**“…” I couldn’t argue, as much as I wanted to.**

**“So either I send you back, or you drink my blood. It won’t cure you, but it will help keep you from having such a severe backlash to being here. “**

**“…”**

**“So which is it?”**

**“I’ll drink.” I tipped the cup back, pouring the warm liquid into my mouth. “I’m never going back to that traitor.”**

**_______________________**

I blinked, the memory overcoming me and fading away as fast as it had come.

_What is going on? First that dream… then this. So many worlds without even the smallest hint of my memories, but now…_

_Who was I?_

_Who is Liam?_

I stared at Liam, who looked back at me with a worried expression. “It is okay?”

I realized he was asking about the blood. I nodded, drinking from the goblet again. The blood tasted sweet and refreshing, filling me with energy.

He smiled. “That’s great, we really are blood bonded!”

**CRASH!**

At the loud sound, we looked over, only to see Alexander standing over the broken shards of the glass alcohol bottle from the blood draw kit. The fluid spilled out in a large puddle, splashing his clothes, but he ignored it, staring at us with a furious expression.

“How? How could you…?” He whispered, shaking his head slowly. “You two… you aren’t the same kind.”

“It’s okay, Alex.” I smiled at him. “Like I told you before, I don’t have any problems with vampire and human relationships. That wasn’t the problem with you and Chelsea.”

“That’s not…” He paused, and then looked at me carefully. “You aren’t the same as him, Belaire.”

“I know.”

“No. You don’t.”

With that, he turned around and left, leaving Liam and I staring at each other in confusion.

“Your brother hates humans?”

“No… he was just wanting to start a relationship with one recently.”

“So he just hates me?”

“Maybe?”

He sighed, “As long as you like me, Belaire.”

“I do.” We hugged each other tightly, as I stared at the glass shards scattered on the floor, wondering about the abrupt difference in Alexander’s character.

_The story had changed again._


	14. Vampire Romance 3

_There are too many variables in this world._

I brooded quietly in my coffin, staring up at the ornate ceiling. Liam had reluctantly been kicked out by Alexander to let me rest. However, feeling energized from the blood I drank, I couldn’t sleep. Instead, my thoughts raced as I went over the story’s differences in my head.

_First there’s Alexander… he’s much more reasonable than he was in the story. From my character’s memories, he became violent and angry at even the slightest resistance to his relationship with Chelsea. He had quickly become addicted to her special type of blood, spending all his time with her, forming a blood bond with her after only a few months. His reaction to my protest was… mild to say the least._

_I mean, I know the brother training method is good, but it’s not THAT good. Even Adam took a few weeks before he became less obsessed with the heroine. What’s going on?_

_And then there’s Liam’s brother Theodore… The story summary didn’t mention him, and he wasn’t in my character’s memories, but he seems a little too… flashy to not be important to the story. Wait… wasn’t there a feature that allowed me to access character descriptions?_

I cleared my throat. “Open character descriptions.”

Blue words formed in front of me.

**Please select a character.**

_First, although it won’t work…_ “Liam.”

**Character unknown.**

Shaking my head, I didn’t bother to ask further. For better or worse, Liam was outside of the world. He wasn’t in my character’s memories, the plot description, or the character info.

_Who is he?_

I changed tactics.

“Theodore.”

**Theodore, the teenage brother of the leader of the vampire hunters, and the second male lead of the story.**

“Ooh, my brother has a rival. One who’s actually the heroine’s age? The plot thickens!”

**Brash and violent, Theodore is known for having a hatred of vampires since his mother was murdered by one of the elders on the vampiric council when he was a small child. He falls in love with the heroine after she saves his life, patching up his wounds after a battle with the vampires.**

“What is it with this heroine and saving half-dead male leads who then fall in love with her?”

**He remains a point of contention in the relationship between the male and female lead. Knowing that he is dangerous, Alexander frequently asks her to stay away from him, but Chelsea ignores him, feeling sympathetic to the young man and his quest for revenge. Her relationship with Theodore was taken advantage of, leading to Alexander becoming severely injured on multiple occasions.**

“…” I let out a loud sigh as the words faded from view. _The curse of an overly kind heroine. She can’t leave any pitiful person alone, even if it puts the person she loves at risk._ I had seen it time and time again, the pure heart of the female lead being used to lead her and her loved ones into a trap. In a few worlds, when I had been the friend of the heroine, I had tried to step in and intervene, without any result. Any form of dissuading was ignored, or thought of as being “hateful.”

I stared up at ceiling. _What if it was me? If I were the heroine?_

A villainous laugh filled the room.

_Screw being pure of heart and kind. It’s not my job to save the world. Force me to choose, and I’ll always protect my own._

_Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a heroine._

Even as I thought this, I felt a pounding headache come on, as if something deep within my mind was trying to force its way out.

________________________

**“Don’t force my hand.”**

**“It’s no use arguing. You can’t change who your are. WHAT you are.”**

**“I’m not you, I won’t sacrifice those I care about just because the world demands it.”**

**________________________  
**

The briefest flash of a conversation surfaced in my memories, disappearing before I could grasp it tightly. I blinked back tears of pain and frustration, smashing my fist against the side of my coffin.

“Are you awake, Miss?” Selina walked in, her arms filled with silk fabric. “We have a lot to do before your wedding.”

I sat up, rubbing my eyes as the blue text in the background faded away.

“My what now?”

“Your wedding.” She shrugged, calmly stuffing me into an ornate black lace gown, tying it so tightly that I had to let out a silent thanks that I no longer required breathing to stay alive. “That loud idi… your precious fiancé has announced to both the vampiric council and the vampire hunters guild that you two are getting married tonight in the throne room.”

I tried and failed to hold back a large sigh. “I bet that went over well.”

“If by ‘well’ you mean both sides sending death threats and gearing up for a possible war?” Selina grinned. “Yes, it went over well.”

She brought over a pair of satin slippers for me to wear.

“Don’t you have anything… taller?”

“You can’t walk normally as it is and you want to wear heels?” At her incredulous look I blushed with embarrassment.

“He’s so much taller than me.” Everyone in this story was taller than me. I felt like I was at a disadvantage.

“Just one more reason for you to call this nonsense off.” Alexander strode in, his face grim. Taking the flat shoes from Selina, he knelt in front of me and helped me put them on. “You’re fine just the way you are. If you feel uncomfortable around him, I can tell him to leave right now.”

I couldn’t help but feel warm at his caring words, even if I wasn’t planning on listening to him. _It’s nice to have a brother again._

“Thanks for the support, Alex, but I’m not going to call off the wedding.”

“Belaire.” He grabbed my hands, staring into my eyes. “You’ve known him less than a day. What reason do you have to rush into things?”

He was being very reasonable, making it hard to argue with him. Unfortunately, “he’s my soul mate and previous husband from another world who follows me life after life” would not be taken as a sane reason to rush into marriage.

“Time won’t change things. We’re already blood bonded.”

He winced at that, still trying to argue. “But he’s a human.”

“Some things are just fate.” I shrugged, smiling. “Just a short while ago you were trying to convince me that relationships with humans were okay.”

“You didn’t agree.”

I frowned. “Liam is an adult. There’s a difference. Like I said, once your little human is grown up and can make her own decisions, I won’t stand in your way.”

“I know.” With a loud sigh, Alexander reached out and pulled me close, hugging me tightly. “It just seems so rushed.”

 _Pretty sure Liam wouldn’t have even waited the day if I hadn’t insisted._ I knew if I asked he would push back the wedding, but… I didn’t really want to.

I had missed him. We had only been apart a short while, but after years of being by his side, traveling through he fantasy world together, I didn’t feel like pretending to not be married.

“Let’s go.” Grabbing his hand, I pulled him along, only tripping slightly over the hem of my gown before making it out the door.

________________________

“WIFE!” Just as we entered the dining room, I was picked up squeezed tightly, again feeling grateful for my inability to breathe. “I missed you!”

Alexander glared at Liam, who was now holding me with a satisfied expression. “You’ve only been apart for a few hours! Stop being so clingy!”

“We wouldn’t have to have been a part at all if you hadn’t kicked me out!”

“She needed to rest, and you’re just a stranger!” Alexander stepped closer. “Now put her down!”

“NO!” Liam backed away, still holding me. “Wife, your brother is bullying me!”

I looked at his latest form, an enormous muscular warrior, and held back a laugh. “Bullied?”

“Yes, I’m just a weak human being bullied by your powerful vampire brother…”

“YOU’RE THE HEAD OF THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS!!!”

“…So you have to protect me, wife.” Liam sat down, placing me on his lap, ignoring Alex’s enraged screams.

I sighed. _Pretty sure in this life I should just resign myself to being held at all times by Liam._ Reaching out to pat his head, I reassured the giant vampire hunter. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”

“Belaire! He’s just acting pitiful to get your sympathy!”

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a powerful, travel-sized wife like me!”

“You are being ridiculous!”

Before I could stop their nonsensical fight, Selina walked in with a slightly more annoyed expression than usual.

“Miss, you have a… _guest_.”

“Is it the vampiric council?” Selina shook her head at my question.

Liam chimed in “The vampire hunters?”

She shook her head again, looking more annoyed. “Much worse than either of those.”

“Worse than the two most powerful groups in the world, both of whom hate our guts right now?”

Alexander sat down next to us, still looking annoyed. “And whose fault is that?”

“Not my fault that they are jealous of me marrying my awesome soul mate wife.”

“That’s NOT why they’re angry!”

I interrupted. “Worse than those two groups, Selina?”

“Oh, much, much worse than them.” She shuddered with disgust. “A human teenager.”

“…”

“…”

“That’s it?” Liam looked confused. “What’s so bad about that?”

“You don’t understand.” Selina sighed loudly. “It’s just chocked full of hormones and emotions and weird bodily fluids. I’ll have to clean the carpets when it leaves.”

“It’s not a puppy being housebroken, Selina.”

“I fail to see the difference.”

I rubbed my forehead tiredly. “Do you know why the human teenager is here?”

“Apparently it’s in response to a letter?”

Alex and I stared at each other for a few moments before I spoke up. “Let her in.”

We waited silently.

“Why is everyone so tense?” Liam whispered in my ear, his breath causing me to squirm slightly.

“Alex had a… fascination… with a human female. It was inappropriate, so I asked him to end it.”

“What’s wrong with humans?” Liam pouted. “I thought you didn’t mind vampire-human relationships?”

“…It’s the person Selina is bringing now.”

“But… Selina said it was a teenager?” After a short pause, he set me down gently on the chair next to him. “Sorry wife, I need to set you down for a bit.”

“You really don’t need to hold me all the time, but what’s wrong?”

He cracked his knuckles, walking towards Alexander with a grim smile. “I need to take my brother-in-law to the back room and have a… discussion with him about how grownups behave around minors.”

“Liam…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill him.” He paused. “After all, it would take a lot more than a severe violent beating to kill a vampire… although I haven’t tested the limits of that.”

“He didn’t start a relationship with her, Liam. You don’t have to beat him… yet. He’s been properly chastised already.”

Liam sat down with a frown, looking over at Alex and shaking his head. “Creep.”

“I was turned when I was seventeen!”

“That just makes you a more successful creep because you look young. That doesn’t make you any less of a creep.”

Alexander opened his mouth to argue, but Selina had already entered with a teenage girl walking behind her.

“Miss Chelsea is here to see you.”

“Thank you.” I nodded, turning my attention to the young girl. “What brings you here?”

The girl stared at me and then quickly looked away, her face pale with fear.

“Alex?” Her voice was almost a panicked whine.

_Why is she acting like I’m the villain here? We’ve never even met before, right?_

Alexander stood up with a concerned expression. “What’s wrong?”

She took a step closer, but glancing at my direction seemed to think twice about the action and backed away nervously. Wringing her hands, tears formed in the corners of her eyes, like a bullied child wanting to complain to a parent.

“Someone sent a letter and said it was from you.” She finally whispered, continuing to look at me with a meaningful gaze and look away.

“What makes you say that someone else sent it?”

“Because I know that you would never write such awful things!!” She threw up her hands. “It said you wanted to ‘give me space to grow up’ and ‘not take advantage of my youth and inexperience’!”

Liam and I nodded with approval. “Good letter.” He muttered.

“I sprayed some common sense into him.”

“Sprayed?”

“Brother training, I’ll explain it to you later.” I thought about his hotheaded younger brother Theodore. “It might come in handy for you later, actually.”

Alexander and Chelsea ignored our commentary, staring at each other intensely.

“I’m sorry, but I was the one to write that letter.” Alex ran a hand through his hair, messing up his orderly appearance. “It’s the truth.”

“NO! I don’t believe it!” Chelsea was sobbing while still maintaining an attractive look. I was impressed by her heroine crying skills. “We have a special connection…”

“EW.” Liam covered his eyes with a hand.

“You said I was special, that you would introduce me to a whole new world that lived beyond the normal one I saw.”

Liam and I both stared accusingly at Alex, who flinched.

“I- I mean you are a special person… you have rare blood. But I can’t be in a relationship with you…”

“WHY ARE YOU LETTING HER TEAR US APART?!!” She interrupted, pointing at me while crying harder. “SHE JUST HATES ME BECAUSE I’M HUMAN…”

**PSST!**

Selina stepped closer, spraying her head to toe with the brother behavior modification tool.

“Rein in the hormones, child.” She looked coldly at the young girl. “I just cleaned this carpet.”

“I’m not a child!”

“Says the pubescent human crying at being told she’s too young to date an immortal vampire.”

“SHUT UP!”

I sighed, finally standing up. “Alright, I’m tired of this.” I moved in between them, rubbing my head to try to relieve the throbbing headache that had started.

_I hate teen vampire romances._

“Everyone will be quiet, and listen to me now.” Not convinced by their stubborn expressions, I snapped my fingers, using dark magic to seal their mouths. “First, Chelsea. You seem like a lovely girl, but you are not an adult, and therefore cannot have a romantic relationship with my centuries old immortal younger brother. Once you are grown and can properly understand the ramifications of this kind of unbalanced relationship, he may approach you again. If you wish to be with Alex at that time I will happily support you both.”

Her eyes overflowed with tears, but fortunately by magic prevented me from hearing any sounds of her crying.

_Thank goodness for silencing magic. This is the most relaxing conversation I’ve had with a heroine since the zombie world._

“Second, I don’t mind you being human, I’m about to marry a human as well.” I pointed at Liam, who grinned proudly. “So no more nonsense. Go enjoy your life in the human world a while longer, and we’ll discuss this again in a few more years. Do you both understand me?”

I looked at Alex who nodded calmly, but Chelsea continued to shake her head and cry.

“What’s the matter now?” I released my magic.

“E-even if you don’t like me, you don’t have to threaten me!” She choked out between sobs.

“…”

“…”

The four other people in the room looked at each other with confusion.

“Pardon? When did I threaten you?”

She sniffed. “A vampire left a note in blood on my dresser this morning.” She brought out a crumpled note covered in rust-stained writing. I took it from her hand, wrinkling my nose at the foul smell coming from it.

“Gross.”

“Tacky.” Liam shook his head.

“Poor penmanship.” Selina added judgmentally.

“…” Ignoring the peanut gallery, I read the contents of the letter, which consisted of death threats and insults to her human status. I passed it to Alexander, shrugging. “This wasn’t from me, but I can’t deny that the vampire council might be involved.”

“Alex… if you abandon me now… they’re going to kill me!” She reached out to grab his hand, but he placed the letter in it instead.

I stepped in before she could cry again. “We’ll look into this. I promise.”

Thinking back through my character’s memories, I did find an incident similar to this, where several of the higher-level vampires had tried to attack Chelsea at school. Alex had pretended to be a student at her boarding school to protect her, leading to relationship and character development. We weren’t going to do that, obviously…

_Well, no one said it had to be Alex who goes under cover._

“How? Since you convinced Alex to betray me, there’s no one I can turn to for help!”

“Dial it down there. No one is betraying you. Alex got you into this mess by announcing your existence to the vampiric council, so I will protect you. I’ll come to your school undercover.”

“What?”

“No!”

“Idiot.”

“I’m coming too!”

Alex, Chelsea, Selina and Liam all answered simultaneously. Liam stood up and pulled me into his arms, frowning.

“Are you going to abandon me right after the wedding? I want to go undercover too! I can pretend to be a senior student!”

I looked at his towering frame and facial hair. “What do you think this is, a teen rom com? No one is going to believe that you’re a high school student!”

“But…”

“Fine…” I sighed. “You can pretend to be a teacher.”

“Awesome!”

I pushed Liam away, and patted Chelsea’s head fondly. “Don’t worry, we’ll protect you.”

She glared at me. “I want Alex.”

“Too bad.”

“I hate you!”

“I’m heart-broken. Fortunately it was already not beating, so I think I’ll survive… or I guess continue to be undead.”

Selina chuckled in the background. _At least someone appreciates my vampire jokes._

We sent Chelsea back to her school, on the way setting up various arrangements with fake documents and hypnotizing several school officials to make fake identities for Liam and myself at the boarding school.

________________________

We got back, preparing for the wedding, but as I made finishing touches on my blood red gown in front of the mirror, Selina walked in, an uncharacteristically serious look on her face.

“What’s wrong?

“Alexander.”

I ran over to his quarters, my mind racing. He had been attacked many times in the story, but most had been in relation to Chelsea giving away his information to Theodore and the vampire hunters. He should still be safe at this point.

“Alex!” I called out as I entered his room, shocked at what I found.

The vampire was curled up on the floor, groaning in pain. The rug was torn in long gashes underneath him, as if he had been clawing and biting at it. His pale face was even paler, his red eyes searching endlessly around the room. I knelt down next to him, laying a hand on his forehead.

“Alex.”

This time he paused, his head turning to look at me.

“Bel…” He whispered, his voice deeper than normal.

“I’m here.”

“I’m sorry… I can’t…” He broke off into a long moan, clutching his head in agony. “I can’t fight it…”

“It’s okay, Alex, it will be fine, I’m here.” I felt panicked, grasping his hand with my own. His hand was icy cold, even to my own undead temperature. His eyes were having trouble focusing, seeming to phase in and out.

I hadn’t known him long, but i felt a connection to him. Partially my character’s deep affection for her brother, but even beyond that. 

_He cared about me, tried to listen to me, protect me… I want to help him._

“I wanted to… be what you wanted… make you happy for once instead of just him… but… I can’t… fight my role, I…” He swallowed uncomfortably. “I can’t win… no one can.”

“Alex…” _There must be a way to fix this… if only I had gotten light magic instead of dark… I can’t heal…_

“You must accept your fate.” The cold sentence escaped from his lips, seeming to echo in my head. I dropped his hand, scrambling backwards to stare at him in shock.

_What?_

“You must accept your fate.” he repeated, staring into my eyes.

_No._

**You must accept your fate.**

“No…” I stared at Alex, who was now unconscious.

_What is wrong with this world?_

“NO!”

“Sister?” A voice called out, breaking me from my reverie. I looked up, surprised to find Alex sitting up on the floor, brushing himself off to clean the dust from his clothes. “What brings you here?”

“You… You were…”

“Sorry, I must have passed out, haven’t really drank any blood recently, not since I tried that special blood of that human girl.” He smiled gently at the memory, and then looked back at me, his face growing cold. “I wish you wouldn’t keep us apart.”

“What are you…?”

“We’re soul mates, Belaire. Chelsea and I can’t be torn apart by your petty schemes and tricks.” He was looking back in my eyes, but I saw none of the warmth, the common sense and laughter that had always been present before.

_He had changed._

“Alex…” I reached out, but he avoided my hand.

“Don’t patronize me. You might be my older sister by vampire law, but you can’t control what I do.” He stood up, and waited patiently for me to get to my feet. “Now don’t we have a wedding to go to?”

I got up, my hands shaking as I brushed myself off as well. “I do have a wedding to go to…”

**You must accept your fate.**

I felt cold.

________________________

Liam and I were married. It was a simple ceremony, with a terrified kidnapped priest, Selina, Theodore and Alexander as witnesses. Theodore had tried to draw a weapon halfway through the procedures and was knocked out by Liam, who impatiently gestured for the priest to continue after pushing his brother’s unconscious form away with his foot. After we had been pronounced husband and undead wife, we shared a kiss and returned to my quarters.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Liam kissed my hand, his eyes concerned. “You seem disturbed. Is it my brother? I promise I’ve knocked him out multiple times over the years. He’s very hard headed, he’ll be fine.”

“No… it’s my brother.” I briefly explained what had happened.

“Possession?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m worried.” I leaned against his chest, feeling tired.

“Whatever it is, we’ll face it together. I’ll keep a close eye on him as much as possible.” He held me tightly, letting out a sigh of relief. “Finally we’re married.”

“We’ve known each other for a day, Liam.”

“Even that was too long.” He kissed the top of my head. “It’s been agony since the day I woke up with the blood bond. I knew you were somewhere, but I didn’t know how to find you.”

“Don’t think about it too much. I’m here now.”

“And tomorrow we get to go back to school!”

I shuddered. “Don’t remind me, please.” _How many lives have I spent in high school dramas?_ “I hate high school.”

“Well that’s for tomorrow. As for tonight…” He pulled me closer. “We have other business to discuss.”

“Really?” I grinned. “Sounds like a plan, vampire hunter.”

“That’s vampire _husband_ to you, wife.”

The night passed, and for a moment, I forgot about my wandering lives, the fate I didn’t understand but was supposed to accept, the changes and inconsistencies around me.

There was only him.


	15. Vampire Romance 4

“Class we have two new transfers today!” The teacher announced cheerfully, ignoring the excited murmurs around the class. “This is Belaire and Alexander, they are a brother and sister who have recently moved to the area, please make them feel welcome!” She turned towards us. “Would you like to tell us a little about yourselves?”

I stood up at the front of the classroom, feeling tired.

_I hate high school so much._

I glanced over at Alex, like me he had camouflaged his red eyes with illusion magic, looking like a fairly normal seventeen year old male. He looked over the students, his gaze stopping at the front row near the window, breaking out into a wide smile.

“Hello! I’m Alexander. I’m seventeen years old, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you all much better.” His eyes never left the object of their focus while he spoke, the intensity uncomfortable. I followed the trajectory of his gaze, and let out a sigh.

 _I guess I underestimated the pull of the heroine._ I thought uncomfortably to the scene in his bedroom yesterday. He had woken up this morning perfectly normal, but continued to insist that he would go undercover at the school as well. Any time I tried to object he had grown angry, finally snarling at me to mind my own business. Throwing my hands up in the air, I had given up temporarily.

_It’s like the reasonable brother I’ve known these past few days was just an illusion._

Everyone had turned towards me, waiting for my introduction. I sighed loudly. “She told you my name already. I’m… eighteen… I guess? I’m here to focus on learning so please keep your distance.”

There were a few disgruntled murmurs at my impolite words, but I ignored them. I wasn’t here to make friends.

The teacher’s smile stiffened in place. “Very… interesting. As for where to sit…” She scanned the room. There appeared to be two open seats, one in the back near the door and the other…

“I guess we’ll be neighbors.” Alexander grinned at Chelsea and stepped towards the empty seat next to her.

Only to fall flat on his face as I tripped him.

“Sorry, brother dearest, I’m a bit short sighted and need to sit near the front.” I stepped on his back, ignoring his grunt of pain and lightly sat down at the desk next to Chelsea. I glanced back at him, noting his gloomy expression and waved cheerfully.

“You…” His voice was a growl, only audible with my better than human hearing, but I interrupted him loudly, giving him a thumbs up.

“Thanks for being so understanding.”

Alex glared at me, and I smiled brightly back. _I might not have been able to stop him from following the plot so far, but I’m not about to let him flirt with a confused adolescent right in front of me._

After a long moment, he stood back to his feet and headed towards the empty seat in the back.

“Wasn’t that a little mean?” Chelsea whispered to me, her eyes following his back a strange light in them. Strangely enough, she wasn’t overly concerned about him. If anything she looked… embarrassed. Compared to her tears and tantrums the last time I saw her, she seemed much more reasonable today.

_Maybe she’s just not a night person?_

“It was very kind, actually, once you take a longer view.” After all, he had committed double suicide after an unhealthy relationship with her in the original.

She seemed unconvinced. “Then why do you seem so… happy… when you watched him fall on his face?”

_Oops, my inner villainess must have been leaking out a bit at that time. It was pretty fun to watch the hero fall though._

“It’s a vampire thing.” I answered finally. “You wouldn’t understand.”

She nodded innocently, not questioning further. I watched as she turned her attention to the teacher, taking notes diligently in a bright pink notebook.

 _You know, she’s a bit of a brat, but she seems fairly normal today… there may be hope for her yet._ _With Alexander’s recent changes, I might have more luck approaching the problem from her side instead._

My mind made up, I then looked back at the blackboard, wincing at the calculations written there.

_Calculus, my mortal enemy… we meet again._

_________________________  
_

After class I grabbed Chelsea’s hand, pulling her into the hallway. I could feel Alex’s angry glare on my back, but didn’t turn back to give him attention. Before we could get too far however, we were stopped by two teenage boys.

“You’re the new girl, right?” The boy flipped his overly long blond curls out of his eyes, leaning on the wall to block our path.

I stopped with a sigh. “So they tell me.”

The other boy chuckled at my words, leaning closer. “You don’t look half bad. How about you skip the next period and come out and play with us?”

Chelsea, looking nervous, hid behind my back at their words. “These two are trouble.” She whispered in my ear. “Their fathers are on the school board, so the headmaster turns a blind eye when they bully others.”

“I see…”

She took a deep breath, tears in her eyes. “If you run away now, I’ll try to distract them.”

 _Did she forget I’m a centuries old vampire?_ I couldn’t help but grin. _Although this habit of saving people is what keeps getting her in trouble, I can’t help but find it a bit cute. Definitely need to protect the young from my brother._

“Hey, we’re talking to you!” The blond one snapped, growing impatient. “Don’t pretend like you’re not interested.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “If you come with us, we’ll show you a great time.”

“Well although that sounds about as appealing as dousing myself in gasoline and running through a burning building, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to pass.” I crossed my arms and grinned. “If you don’t like it, feel free to start a fight. It’s been a while since I got to beat up idiots, I’m starting to get a bit itchy.”

“…” Both of them stared in shocked silence for a few moments, until it was interrupted by Chelsea’s laughter. Turning red at the sound, the closest boy raised a fist, preparing to strike me.

“You…”

**BAM!**

He went flying backwards at a high speed, hitting the lockers behind him with a loud crash, denting the metal in. His buddy fell to the ground with a frightened squeal, staring up at the assailant with horror.

“Sorry.” Liam grinned, not looking very sorry. “Didn’t see you there.”

“W-who are you?” The terrified boy asked.

“I’m the new gym teacher.” Liam cracked his knuckles, staring down at him with a frightening smile. “Looks like you two boys have got some extra energy, trying to pick up my wife… I mean pick up this random high school student that I don’t know at all.”

“What?” The confused boy had no time to protest before he was lifted up by his collar. Liam dragged him behind him, picking up the other that had been thrown into the lockers as well. “Time for some special hell punishment… _cough_ … I mean personalized training.”

“Do you know who my father is?!”

“I’m shaking with fear.” With a cheerful wave back towards me, Liam dragged the two boys away, leaving us to stare after him in silence.

“That’s… your husband?” She asked timidly.

“Yep.”

“He’s human, right?”

“Last time I checked.”

“Is he always so….”

“Yep.”

She grinned. “That’s so sweet. I want to have a romance like yours one day.”

Hmm. 

I pulled her into an empty classroom, staring at her for a few moments. After a short uncomfortable silence, she turned red.

“What is it?”

“Why are you so different today?” I asked quietly. “When you came by that night, you were a lot more… excitable.”

She winced at my words, shaking her head slowly. “I …” She trailed off, obviously unsure of what to say.

“You acted like I was your mortal enemy. Now you’re so friendly, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”

Chelsea stared at me for a few silent moments, and then rubbed her face with her hand. “I don’t know if I can explain this, it seems too strange.”

_So says the heroine of a failed novel to a world traveling amnesiac._

I suppressed a smile. “Try me.”

“A few days ago, I woke up in the middle of the night, and something had… changed.” She sighed softly. “I felt panicked, lost. It was as if the world had shifted somehow, and left me without a place.”

“Shifted…” _A few days ago… that would have been around the time I woke up in this world._

“I know this sounds crazy. I had already met Alex before this, and thought he was handsome and cool but that was it. He wasn’t that important to me right then. But after that… shift… I started obsessing over him. Wondering where he was, worrying that he wasn’t thinking about me. I received that letter, and it seemed to confirm my worst fears.” She stood up, pacing around the room uncomfortably. “I was frantic by the time I showed up in front of you. I was convinced that you were trying to separate us, that you hated me because I was human… I wasn’t willing to listen.”

“That’s a pretty accurate description of how you were… so what changed?”

She looked embarrassed. “Last night, it shifted back. It didn’t make sense. I felt a sharp pain, so severe that I thought I was dying. But once it passed, I felt… relieved. The world was right, I was no longer lost. It was like my place in the world was secure once more. When I saw you and Alexander this morning, it was horrifying to think of how I had behaved.”

“…” I couldn’t help but think of Alexander’s episode yesterday, which seemed strangely similar. _When he was being reasonable, she felt lost and hysterical. Now that he’s obsessed with her again, she’s back to normal?_

_Something is wrong with this world._

“I know this doesn’t excuse how poorly I’ve acted.” Chelsea sat back down next to me, her eyes slightly wet with tears. “But I am sorry. I am grateful that you’ve gone to all this trouble to protect me. “

I patted her head. “It’s fine. We’ll help you out.”

“Thanks!”

“I do stand by what I said last time though: you shouldn’t be in a romantic relationship with Alex right now. You are a teenager and he is a centuries old being. Allow yourself the space and time to grow up, to enjoy your life without being pressured into life-altering decisions by an adult who is almost fifteen times your age.”

Chelsea paused at that, and then nodded slowly. “It makes sense when you say it today.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I just don’t know if I’ll still be rational about it later.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you whether you are rational or not.”

“…” Her eyes reddened at my words, and she threw herself forward, hugging me tightly.

“Thank you!”

“It’s fine… could you stop choking me?”

“You’re like the sister I’ve always wanted!”

“Sounds good… please let go.” _How many times would I have suffocated in this world if I wasn’t already undead?_

She finally released me, sniffing loudly. “So can I consider you a friend?”

I held up a finger. “On one condition:”

She nodded.

“Try to restrain the crying at everything.” _If I’m going to be spending my time with the heroine, I’ll need all the crying-free time I can get._

She blinked rapidly, stopping the tears in her eyes from overflowing. “Deal!”

I let out a sigh of relief, shaking her hand firmly. “See, this is nice. I don’t get many nice calm moments like this…”

**CRASH!**

Four men broke through the window wearing bronze masks and brandishing weapons. “Kill the vampire scum and her minion!”

“… Curse my unlucky mouth! I really need to stop making vague foreshadowing statements!” I pushed Chelsea towards the door. “Go get Liam.”

She nodded, but then halted at the door. “What about you?”

“I’m a vampire queen.” I grinned, showing my fangs. “You should be worried about them.”

She ran out, and I blocked the men from following her.

“Don’t let her get away!”

“Fool! We need to kill this monstrous hag first, _then_ we’ll go after the brat that serves her.”

I paused at their words. “Excuse me? Did you just call me a hag?”

The leader of the four snarled at me. “Silence, foul demon!”

I grabbed a desk chair, snapping off a leg. “No, no no, don’t go changing your insults now. I already heard it, and I must say that I’m very offended right now!”

I let go of my disguise completely, allowing my eyes and hair to become a bright red once more.

“Unfortunately for you, I think I’m going to take out my frustration at your poor choice of words by beating it out of you.” I brandished my makeshift club. “Try not to die, okay? I need to get confessions out of you later.”

“Don’t listen to her lies! We outnumber her!”

I laughed out loud, going full on villainess laugh with glee. Snapping my fingers, I spread my dark magic towards the doors and windows, sealing the exits, blackening all the lights.

The room plunged into complete darkness.

“You should have brought more men.”

With that, I leapt forward, club raised.

It was a one sided battle. Unable to see in the darkness, the humans flailed around, trying to corner me by the sounds in the room. To me, who could see perfectly, this provided a source of amusement, including leading them into swinging at each other and injuring themselves. Eventually I tired of playing with them, and with four hard taps, knocked the men unconscious. I dissipated my dark magic, just in time for the door to burst open and for Alexander and Liam to rush into the room.

“WIFE!” Liam ran towards me, somehow managing to step on all four assailants before reaching my side. He picked me up, squeezing me tightly in his arms. “Are you okay?”

“… You realize she’s standing calmly in a room with four unconscious assassins.” Alexander knelt next to one of the men. “I’m pretty sure she’s fine.”

“’Pretty sure’ is not good enough!” Liam held me up in the air, turning me around, looking concerned.

“Liam, I’m fine, you can put me down.”

“… Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“I can hold you longer, there’s no need for you to be tired.”

“Remember what I said when I agreed to let you be a teacher in this school?”

“…” Liam set me down, hanging his head. “You said don’t be creepy.”

“That’s right, everyone thinks that I’m a teenager and you’re a student. You can’t act like you usually do.”

“But you’re older than me! And we’re newly married!” Liam scuffed his foot against the ground, managing to grind his shoe on the head of one of my attackers. “It’s not fair!”

“We’re in high school. What ever made you think that life here would be fair?”

Liam tilted his head, seeming confused. “Why do you hate high school so much? Did you even go to one? You were a teenager centuries ago.”

 _I’ve lived multiple lifetimes as the side character or villainess in the worst version of high school to ever exist: teen romance high schools._ I shuddered at the memory, patting his shoulder. “Just trust me on this one.”

“Can we focus, please?” Alex interrupted our conversation with a rude tone. “The important thing is that someone put Chelsea in danger.”

“Actually she was relatively very safe, she left the room before any fighting…”

“She’s such a special person, of course these groups covet her.” Alex looked down at the unconscious men with a sneer. “I have to protect her. I’ll pull her out of school, she can stay with me for now…”

**PSST!**

I pulled my brother behavior modification tool out of my bag and sprayed his face multiple times.

“BAD VAMPIRE! No stalking or kidnapping teenage girls!”

He wiped his face, his eyes changing back to a bright red in his anger. “Can you cut that out?!”

“I will when you stop being a creep.”

“You’re such a bit…”

**PSST!**

To my surprise, Liam took out a bottle and sprayed Alex before I could react. Seeing my look of confusion, he smiled. “Selina gave me an extra, said I would need it if you were going to be around so many hormonal teenagers.”

“That reminds me, what happened to those two boys from earlier?”

Liam let out an ominous laugh. “Nothing permanent.”

“Don’t ignore me!” Alex shouted. “This is about keeping Chelsea safe!”

“Exactly.” I waved the bottle of garlic water in the air. “Which is why she’s not staying with you. I’ll protect her.”

“Belaire are you okay?!!” Before Alex could respond, a tearful voice called out from the doorway. I turned, just in time to see Chelsea throw herself at me, crying.

“I was so worried about you!”

“I told you I’d be fine.”

“But you were outnumbered!”

“They could have brought an army, and I still would win.” I patted her head. “Trust in your friend.”

“…okay.”

“Now didn’t you just promise me that you wouldn’t cry so much?”

She laughed stepping away and wiping her tears. “Sorry.”

“…”

“…”

Liam and Alexander stared at us in shock.

Alex recovered first. “Since when are you two so close?”

Chelsea’s smile faded a little as she turned towards him. “We’re friends now.”

“But she’s standing in the way of our relationship!”

“We’re not in a relationship.”

“Don’t lie!”

**PSST!**

Liam stepped between them, spraying Alex again, looking confused. “Is it just me or did we just have this conversation, but with the roles reversed?”

“I’ll explain it later, dear.” I knelt down next to the unconscious men. “Now help me tie them up.”

As we restrained the men, ignoring Alex’s furious sputters. Eventually, the leader of the group woke up first, his initial confusion fading into horror as he stared up at us.

“Don’t be scared.” I smiled at him. “I’m just going to ask you a few questions.”

Liam cracked his knuckles. “Unless you plan on disrespecting my wife. Then you should be terrified.”

Chelsea also tried to crack her knuckles, looking much less terrifying. “Yeah, what he said.”

“…” Everyone, including the assassin, stopped and stared at her.

I patted her head. “I appreciate the thought, but stick to your strengths.” Turning back towards the captive man, I continued. “Now, who sent you?”

He glared at me. “Vampire scum, my brothers will hunt you down and send your soul back to Hell!”

Liam frowned. “Vampire hunter? I don’t recognize him.”

“Not everyone was willing to work under a traitor like you. His eyes were wide and fanatic as his speech became pressured. “A new world is coming, one which has no place for monsters and human traitors! We will cleanse this world of its filth! The flames of judgment will consume you, and we will watch with joy as you suffer!”

I rolled my eyes. “What a pleasant gentleman.”

“He’s certainly… passionate?” Chelsea shrugged.

The man looked up at her. “Foolish girl. You sided with these monsters. You betrayed your kind, and will be the first to fall!”

I saw something flash by me, and shouted “WE NEED HIM ALIVE…!”

**SLASH**

The man’s throat was cut, his blood soaking the front of his clothing as his wide shocked gaze met my own. His body slumped to the floor. Alex stepped back, wiping the blood from his hands, seeming calm.

“I won’t let anyone who threatens her to live.”

“Oh, isn’t that sweet.” I smiled, and then reared back and punched him.

As he hit the floor with a groan, I leaned over. “We needed him to talk, idiot. To protect Chelsea, I need to know who is behind these men. You are not this stupid, Alex. What’s wrong with you?”

“You don’t understand!”

I grabbed his collar, pulling his face close to my own. “You’re right, because I’m actually using my brain.”

“We have three other…” He paused looking over, as there were light groans from the other side of the room.

The three other men convulsed, white foam spilling from their lips.

“Poison.” I growled, dropping Alex and stepping away, frustrated. I searched the bodies. Beyond silver knives, there was nothing on their bodies. I turned the leaders head to the side, ignoring the large wound in his neck, and found a marking at the side.

A black rose.

A quick look confirmed that the other men had the same tattoo on their neck.

“Liam, do you recognize this?”

He shook his head, frustrated. “I don’t.”

Liam contacted his group, bringing in men to dispose of the bodies. As they cleaned up the room, he pulled me to the side, a sulking expression on his face.

“I need to return to the headquarters and look into this. I’m worried they might have ties to the hunters.”

I reached out and touched his cheek, smiling. “I understand.”

“It’s not fair! We’re finally married!” He frowned, picking me up and hugging me. “…But bringing a vampire into the hunters headquarters doesn’t seem like the best idea.”

“I’ll let Chelsea stay with me tonight and protect her. Don’t worry, and come home soon.”

He pulled me in, kissing me. “I’ll come back as fast as I can. Please be safe.”

“I will.” I squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I promise.”

________________________

It took very little effort to convince Chelsea to come stay with me that night. I was mildly worried about how quickly she trusted me.

_But I guess that’s her problem in the story, right? She kept saving people with ties to the supernatural world and trusting everything they say._

Alex on the other hand, argued heatedly all the way to the castle once he heard she was planning to stay in my suite. As we entered the front hall, he grabbed my arm, snarling.

“This is ridiculous! I should be taking care of her!”

**PSST!**

Feeling bored, I sprayed him. “Maybe I need to put a more effective fluid in here? Like adding silver powder?”

He shook his head, garlic water dripping from his hair. “I don’t trust you to keep her safe!”

**PSST!**

Chelsea sprayed him this time. She held up the bottle, grinning. “Your husband gave this to me, saying it was useful!”

“That was the right thing to do.” I smiled back. “You keep that with you.”

“Miss… is this… person… staying here.” Selina arrived silently, a look of disapproval on her face.

“She’s going to be in my suite, Selina, please prepare her room.”

Chelsea turned to her, reaching out a hand. “I’m sorry for my actions the other day, Selina. I hope you can forgive me.”

Selina stared at her silently for a few moments. “Try to keep your hormones contained, teenager.”

“Umm… Sure, I promise.”

“… I haven’t teenaged-proofed the rooms. ” She let out a long sigh. “I’ll go prepare the bed… and place protective coverings on the furniture and carpets.”

Chelsea turned towards me, confused by the obvious hostility of my butler. I patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Selina just doesn’t like teenagers.”

“That’s reasonable. I don’t like them either, and I am one.”

We laughed, heading up together.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m staying with you?” Chelsea seemed nervous. “I don’t want to cause you more trouble.” 

“It will be fine.” I grinned, “You’re in the center of my territory now. What could go wrong?”

“… Didn’t you say you were going to stop making vague foreshadowing statements?”

“…” I patted her head silently, having no words to reply. 

________________________

I got her settled into a secure room in the suite after dinner. There were no windows, with only a single entryway through the door. Wishing her goodnight, I set up a chair in front of her doorway, ready to guard through the night.

_Fortunately I’m a vampire and don’t really need to sleep._

After a few hours, just past midnight, I heard footsteps leading up the nearby stairs. I jumped to my feet, taking a defensive posture. “Who’s there?”

Alex stumbled up the stairs, his face pale, a pained expression on his face. “Bel?”

“Alex, what is going…”

He collapsed to the ground in front of me, grabbing his head, as I head him whisper.

“Help me.”


	16. Vampire Romance 5

“Alex?!” 

I rushed over and helped him to his feet, feeling panicked. All the color had drained from his already normally pale face, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. His eyes were filled with fear and pain as they met my own, his hands clutching my sleeves tightly.

“Bel… don’t leave me. Please.” He was nearly inaudible, but my superhuman hearing could still pick up his words.

“I’m right here. What’s going on?” He looked very similar to his episode on my wedding night. _Is he shifting again to his previous personality, becoming more reasonable? Will Chelsea change back as well? Why does this keep happening?_

He let out a laugh, but it was an agonized sound. “Liar. You say you’re right here, but you’re not, not really… “

Confused, I tried to interrupt him. “What are you…?”

“You were supposed to stay by me. No matter what. We were meant to be together… but instead you ran in the opposite direction, throwing everything away.” He clutched his head, backing out of my grip as he swayed on his feet. “It’s all his fault! Once you met him…”

“Him? Do you mean Liam?”

Alex’s eyes filled with tears. “I hate him. And you know what? Some days I think I might hate you too.” He groaned. “It might have been easier if I could easily hate you. ”

“…” I didn’t know what to say. His eyes had changed, not the obsessed, selfish look from before. Not even the calm steady gaze he had had when I first met him in this world. It was… deeper. As if thousands of years of emotions had slowly smoothed out over time, leaving nothing but a calm, patient surface.

His eyes made me nervous.

He laughed again at my expression. “Avoiding me again, Bel? You never understood me. You are so selfish. You always want to run. You’ll never forgive me for sending you away. Even after I explained why I had to do it.”

“Alex…”

“NO!” He snapped, staring at me intently. “Not Alex. I’m tired of these games, Bel. I’m tired of being trapped on the sidelines while you happily role-play without memories in these lower realms with _him_.” He stepped closer, his atmosphere threatening. “Aren’t you tired of traveling? Tired of struggling? Can’t you just accept your fate?”

I felt a headache pounding at my temples, my vision blurring at the edges. _Who is Alex really? Is he a traveler like Liam and me? Does he know who I am? What have I forgotten?_

**You must accept your fate.**

“HELP!” Before I could answer him, a terrified scream rang out from the room behind me.

“Chelsea!”

Pushing Alex away, I opened the door behind me, rushing inside.

_________________________________

Chelsea was now unconscious, stretched out on a chair next to a dark-clothed man wearing a bronze mask, similar to the men who attacked us before. He had set up a needle in one arm, blood draining through a tube into a glass flask. In the other arm, the masked man injected a black medication, his crazed eyes staring intently at the girl with his actions.

“Get away from her!” I picked up a chair in the room and threw it across the room. It struck him in the side, knocking him to the ground. The medication vial fell to the ground with a loud crash, dispersing the black contents into a large puddle, while the needle in her arm on the other side dripped blood. The smell made me sick, but holding my breath, I pulled the tubing out, holding pressure on her arm to stop the bleeding. She had passed out, but did not appear to have any other injuries. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Who are you?” I asked the bronze masked assailant.

I couldn’t see his face, but his eyes behind the mask seemed to glow with an almost unholy light. “They might have failed to kill you earlier, leech, but you won’t have long.” He let out a horrible laugh. “The Black Rose is coming, and your kind will be purified from this world!”

 _Black Rose?_ I checked the memories of my character, but couldn’t bring up anything. _It’s not in the story._ My stomach sank as I remembered the black rose tattoo on the men who attacked me earlier.

“What do you want with the girl?” Alex walked in; his previously anxious and painful face calm as he took in the scene of destruction. “Poison? You failed to kill Bel and so target a weak human instead?”

The man struggled to his feet, spitting blood stained saliva on the floor. “She should have never been in your hands. She was supposed to run to the hunters! At your side she was almost mistaken for a minion and harmed! We will take her back! She is the Chosen One, whose blood will be the source of the purifying flames.”

 _Not another Chosen One._ I sighed to myself. As I was distracted, the masked man fired a some sort of flare out of the previously broken window. Multiple masked figures entered the room, all armed, quickly surrounding Alex and I.

“The vampire hag…”

“HEY!”

“… And the other leech have kidnapped the Chosen One.” The first man called out. “Kill them, brothers!”

Alex and I stood back to back, facing multiple enemies. Focusing my magic, I summoned a sword of darkness, feeling only a mild drain at the use of my powers. Alex pulled out two pistols, readying them with a practiced hand.

_I don’t remember the character Alex using guns in the story?_

“Just like old times, right Bel?” He muttered just loud enough for me to hear.

Before I could answer, the masked men attacked, forcing me to use my sword in defense. As I danced in between the attackers, utilizing the superior strength and speed of the vampire body, I could hear the loud explosion of the antique pistols in Alex’s hands, firing steadily.

Despite the danger, an odd comfortable feeling built up within me as I continued to fight.

_This feels… familiar._

__________________________________  
_

**“Watch my back!” There was urgency to the voice that shouted out, but the blond man who was reloading his pistols seemed to be laughing at the same time.**

**I leapt forward, swinging a sword through the undead that was reaching for his throat. Old blood and rotten brains spattered, causing me to gag.**

**“I HATE ZOMBIES! This is so gross! Why the heck do we have to fight zombies again?”**

**He laughed. “It wouldn’t be so bad if you fought with guns like me. At least you’d be out of the splash zone.”**

**“Says the man who needs his butt protected while he reloads.” I grinned, decapitating another zombie. “A sword never fails.”**

**He extended a hand holding a pistol, firing a shot dead center into a zombie’s head. “Well, to each his own I suppose. Let’s get moving. The faster we finish up here the sooner we can leave.”**

**“You got that right, friend.” I shuddered. “I never want to visit an apocalyptic realm again.”**

**His smile was mysterious. “No promises. After all, we can only follow Fate.”**

**_________________________________**

I blinked as the memory fading, striking out at the attacker in front of me. Alex and I fought back-to-back, well coordinated, as if resuming a previous habit.

_Why do I think the man in this memory is similar to Alex? Did he know me before I lost my memories?_

Pretty soon all the masked men had been subdued. I reached out quickly, but the few we hadn’t killed soon bit down on capsules, foaming at the mouth and convulsing to death. 

_Poison again._

I removed the masks, but didn’t recognize any faces. They all had the black rose tattoo.

_The black rose._

I stared down at the black medication on the floor, lost in thought.

“Bel? What are you staring at?” Alex asked quietly, putting away his weapons and standing beside me.

“…” I looked up at him, taking in his appearance. His face seemed to merge with the one in my memory, a handsome man with light blue eyes. The man in the memory was always smiling, but there was no sense of relief with it, only a deep anger and distrust.

“Bel?”

“…Who are you?” I asked quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Why should I tell you?”

Before I could answer, Chelsea let out a loud groan, turning on her side and lifting a hand to rub her head. We turned towards the young girl, whose eyes fluttered open.

“How are you feeling?” I asked reaching out a hand to help her up.

She looked at me, her eyes blank for a moment.

“ALEX!” With a panicked shriek she leapt to her feet, throwing herself into Alex’s arms. “I missed you!”

With a grimace Alex stepped to the side, allowing her to fall to the ground with a loud thud. She turned her head, her eyes filling with tears.

“Why would you let me fall? I thought you cared about me? Is it because of your sister trying to tear us apart?”

I sighed quietly to myself. _She’s back to being unreasonable again._

Before I could react, Alex reached down and grabbed her chin, forcing the girl to look into his eyes. “Sleep.”

The girl slumped down, unconscious once more. The vampire let go of her face, immediately, reaching out to grab a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaning his hands. Finished, he dropped the cloth on the floor with a disgusted expression before turning towards me with a smile.

“Bel…”

 **BAM**!

I chopped his neck with a hand, knocking him out with a single blow.

“Sorry.” I muttered, not feeling very sorry. As I dragged the girl and the vampire onto chairs and secured them into place with ropes, I called out with a tired voice.

“Selina.”

“Yes, Miss?”

I let out a quiet shriek at the immediate answer right behind me and turned around to stare at the butler who had immediately appeared behind me.

“How did you…?”

She smiled, a sight more terrifying than hordes of masked attackers.

“…Never mind.” I didn’t want to know. ‘ I pointed to the spilled medicine on the floor. “Can you gather up some of that fluid, and send it for testing?”

She stared at the mess, her face solemn. “I knew I should have never let a human teenager in the house. Or at least put protective covers on the floor as well.” She sighed. “Hormones everywhere.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not hormones, Selina. It’s some sort of poison or drug they were injecting her with. I gestured towards the half-filled container with her blood. “Send her blood as well.”

“Of course, Miss.” Still looking skeptically at the unconscious girl, she quickly gathered the samples and stepped out, silent even to my superhuman hearing.

I sat down, staring at the two tied up young people, feeling tired.

“What do I do now?”

“WIFE!” 

Liam raced into the room frantically, picking me up and looking me over. “I heard you were attacked again! That’s twice now I’ve failed to protect you!” He shook his head. “I’m never leaving your side from now on!”

I patted his head, smiling. “I’m fine. They couldn’t hurt me.”

“They shouldn’t have had a chance to.” He glanced over, looking mildly surprised that Alex and Chelsea were unconscious and tied up. “What’s up with them?”

“It’s a long story. First, tell me what you found.”

Liam’s face darkened. “My brother is missing, along with ten of our strongest hunters. No signs of kidnapping, looks like they left intentionally.” He handed me a paper. “This was left on my desk.”

I glanced at the note, which was stained in black ink. A crude black flower was drawn at the top, along with the words: “The Black Rose comes. The time of the vampires is over.”

Studying the writing closer, my eyes widened with surprise. “Wait a minute!” I pulled out the blood written death threat that Chelsea had received. “The handwriting is the same. “

“Ah yes.” Liam nodded, “The penmanship that Selina found so lacking matches.” He paused. “But that was a vampire death threat, right? It was insulting her human status and all that?”

“The masked man said that Chelsea was their chosen one… that she was supposed to run to the hunters…” I looked down at her unconscious form. “Maybe she was supposed to think that the note was from vampires, and go to the hunters?”

I explained to Liam the black medication and them taking a sample of her blood. “Alex had always said her blood was special… there must be something about it that’s useful to them.”

“Speaking of Alex… why is he knocked out and tied up?”

“They switched again.” I described his change.

“So one of them is reasonable, and the other is irrational?” He paused. “Are they bonded?”

They shouldn’t be… at least n _ot until later in the story._ “No, why do you ask?”

“They just seem weirdly connected. Always switching back and forth.”

 _Couldn’t that just be male and female lead fate?_ I thought about the strange attitude of Alex, and his previous words saying that he wasn’t Alex, and was tired of playing games. _Is there something bigger at work here? More than just the story?_

“Alex hypnotized Chelsea, and I knocked out Alex. I tied them up for now.” I reached over and hugged Liam. “I don’t know who they’ll be when they wake up, and I’m too tired to care.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much.” He grinned. “I like them better like this. Quieter, at least.”

“… I feel like I should say that’s wrong… but I agree.”

Liam hugged me tighter, holding me through the door into a connected bedroom. He used his foot to close the door behind him, and set me down on the bed, looking me over carefully.

“Um… Liam?”

“Yes, dear?”

“We can’t leave Chelsea alone, tied up in a room full of corpses with a broken window. It’s not safe, and will likely freak her out if she wakes up.” I paused. “Alex too… I guess.”

Liam nodded, stepping over and knocking on a door to the hallway. “Selina?”

“I sent her on a mission, she won’t…”

“Yes, Miss’s husband?” A calm voice spoke from the other side of the door.

“…” I fell silent. _The story definitely said she was human, right? Like I can believe that? How is she not supernatural?!!_

_“_ Could you arrange Ms. Chelsea and Mr. Alexander into a more secure room and watch over them while we rest?”

“You don’t need to do this, I’m fine!”

He smiled calmly, ignoring my protest, and waited for Selina’s answer.

“Of course.”

Hearing my butler’s agreement, he turned back to me with a grin. “See, wife? No need too worry, everything is taken care of.”

“Fine.” I sighed, leaning back in the bed. “You’re the best.”

Liam pulled a chair next the bed, sitting down beside me. His large frame caused the chair to creak in protest, but he ignored it, resting a warm hand on my forehead. “Worried?”

I couldn’t hide it from him. “I don’t like all this uncertainty. We have enemies targeting us from the dark, and I don’t know their plan. I can’t shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen.” I looked over at Liam, feeling distressed. Our marriage and years of traveling together in the fantasy world had done a lot to smooth over the pain from the apocalyptic world, but a sense of fear still remained.

_I could never forget holding his body in my arms._

This world reminded me too much of that one. Characters were acting outside their descriptions; the story was too far off course. I wasn’t in control.

And if I wasn’t in control… how could I protect him?

“You have to stay safe.” I whispered finally. “Please don’t make me watch you die.”

Liam’s eyes were serious, his hand moving back to stroke my hair gently. “I’ll stay safe.” He smiled. “After all, I’m a newly married man! I’ve got far too much to live for.”

I put a finger to his lips. “Don’t say anymore. Small statements are fine, anything else is just foreshadowing.”

“Foreshadowing?”

“Just trust me.”

He nodded. “With my life.”

“Good.” I closed my eyes, feeling exhausted.

Liam continued stroking my hair. “You used dark magic again?”

“Just to make a sword.” I kept my eyes closed, enjoying the attention. “Not enough to cause me any harm.”

“I’d rather not take any chances.” His hand lifted away, and before I could protest, a sweet scent filled the air, shocking me awake.

I opened my eyes, and his arm was in front of me. A small shallow cut had been made in his forearm, oozing blood.

“What are you doing?” My tone was horrified.

“Helping my wife.” There was no uncertainty in his gaze as he moved the wound to my lips. “I know it’s more civilized to drink from a glass, but since Selina is busy…”

I stared into his eyes. “Don’t do this again. Don’t hurt yourself to help me. You wouldn’t tolerate it if I did it, and I won’t stand for it with you.”

“I’m sorry.” He put on a pitiful expression. “But for now, can you not let my injury go to waste?”

Letting out an irritable snort, I reached out and grabbed his arm, putting the wound to my lips. A sweet flavor filled my mouth, and I closed my eyes and drank slowly.

_________________________________

**“Again?” I stared at the small cup of blood with dismay.**

**I couldn’t see the person sitting beside me, but I heard a gentle laugh. “Every few days for now. At least if you want to stay here.”**

**I grimaced and drank the blood quickly, ignoring the coppery taste. I looked up, trying to smile. “Thank you.”**

**“Don’t thank me. Your sick, weak self was making the place depressing. I was just making myself more comfortable.”**

**“Well, whether you wanted to help me or not, you gave me a chance to stay here instead of following _his_ plan. So I will thank you!”**

**I felt that the person beside me was shaking his head. “So, now that you’re feeling better, would you like to explore? Or you can stay here and rest.”**

**“…”**

**“What would you like to do?”**

**“…” Tears formed in my eyes, blurring my vision. The empty cup I had held dropped to the ground with a quiet thud as I covered my mouth with a shaking hand.**

**“What’s wrong?” The voice was deeply concerned. “Did I offend you?”**

**I swallowed uncomfortably. “No one has ever asked me what I wanted to do before.” Lowering my hand, I shook my head. “There has only ever been rules, roles… everything decided by fate.”**

**The person laughed loudly. “Screw fate. What do you want?”**

**_________________________________  
**

The memory faded, and I stopped drinking, pushing his arm away from me. Liam smiled with satisfaction, patting my head before quickly bandaging the wound with practiced movements.

“Feel better?” He asked, taking off his outer clothes as he spoke.

Still feeling the emotions from the memory before, I nodded without speaking.

“Good.” He laid down beside me, gathering me in his arms. “Then let’s get some rest, wife.”

_Two different people in my memory. One I can see, one I can’t. One who betrayed me, one who protected me. Liam… are you the one in my memories? Were you by my side even then, trying to help me? Why can’t I remember you? Why do you always forget me?_

Feeling sad, I turned in his arms, burying my face in his chest, hugging him tightly.

“Liam?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“…” There was a moment of shocked silence, and then his quiet voice, filled with joy, responded.

“I love you too.”

I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.


	17. Vampire Romance 6

Liam and I woke up a short while later, and stopped by to check on the unconscious main characters. They had been placed in a secure, windowless room, still tied to the chairs I had secured them to earlier. Both still slept silently, their heads slumped forward.

Selina sat off to the side, idly polishing silver, a large wooden club and a spray bottle at her side.

"..." I glanced over at Liam. "That club is to protect herself from attackers, right?"

He grimaced, "Good chance it might be there to be used as a tool to silence hormonal teenagers."

"Yeah... I thought that too." I stepped forward, patting Chelsea's cheek lightly. "Wake up."

Selina groaned. "It's sleeping, and is being quiet and clean for once! Can't you let it stay that way?!"

I ignored her. "Chelsea." I called again, adding a little bit of vampiric command behind the words. "Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open. "Belaire?"

"I'm here." I felt relieved seeing the calm rationality in her eyes, and untied her. "How are you feeling?"

She threw herself forward, hugging me tightly. "It shifted again. And I woke up to a strange man injecting something in my arm! I'm really scared, what's going on?"

I patted her head. "They're after something in your blood, but don't worry, I'll protect you. I won't let them hurt you again."

"Thank you!" She started to cry, and then thought better of it, sniffing back her tears determinedly.

I chuckled, pushing her back to sit on the chair, and gestured towards Alex. "How do you feel about him now?"

Chelsea shrugged, a mild dislike in her eyes. "I still feel somewhat connected to him, but I don't want it. I don't like how obsessed with him I become when I shift."

I glanced off to the side, mentally pulling up the mission progress.

**36% Complete**

_So little..._ I sighed. _They are still on track to an unhappy end._

"Let me ask you a question. What would you like to do with your life? What would make you happy?"

She stared at me strangely. "What do you mean?"

"Do you want to live in this world of vampires and hunters? Do you think the excitement is worth the danger? Or do you want to live a normal life, and find happiness in the mortal world?"

"I..." Glancing over at Alex, she hesitated. "I don't know."

I smiled. "It's okay to not know. But I want you to be thinking about this." I stood up. "Because sometime soon, I'm going to ask you again."

"Okay."

"Good girl." I patted her head.

Selina, who had disappeared, showed up again with a frown.

"Miss, the Vampiric council has summoned you."

"What do they want?"

"It seems to be related to the recent attacks."

Liam picked me up, holding me protectively. "I'll take you there."

"You know I can walk, right? "

"Walking is unnecessary."

"Is this how you're going to be from now on?"

"Yes."

"You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"I know." He tightened his arms around me. "But it makes me happy."

I shook my head, and looked over at Selina, who was watching us without any surprise. "No snarky comments?"

"Of course not, Miss. I would never dare to say anything disrespectful to you."

"... Are you ill?"

She smiled, sitting back in her chair. "No. After all, I'm very grateful to Sir Liam and his willingness to prevent you from stumbling about like a natural disaster."

"That's more like it." I turned to Chelsea. "Stay here with Selina. She'll keep you safe."

"Are you sure I can't come with you?" She watched the butler with a nervous expression. "I'm a little worried that she might kill me herself."

"Oh don't worry about that." I grinned.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, if Selina wanted you dead, you'd long be a corpse buried where no one can find you." I reached out to pat her head again. "Besides, she's much scarier than any rogue hunter groups or vampires. So no need to worry about them."

The girl stared at Selina, who had gone back to polishing silver. "Yeah... I'm not scared of them anymore."

"Selina, keep Chelsea safe."

"If I must."

"And..." I hesitated. "Keep Alex unconscious for now. I'm not sure what is triggering this shift back and forth, but let's keep him under until we figure it out."

"Yes Miss." She patted her club. "I'm happy to help."

"... Use medicine. Not the club."

"Spoilsport."

I rubbed my head. "Let's go face the vampiric council."

"Yes, wife." He walked out slowly, still cradling me in his arms.

_______________________

We entered the large council room, which remained poorly lit as usual. The council members stood and bowed, and I directed Liam to place me on the throne.

Setting me down, he stood behind the ornate chair and drew his sword, casually resting it on his shoulders.

"Liam?"

"Yes, wife?"

"Why do you have your sword out."

He frowned. "I don't trust the council."

"You realize I'm the head of the council?"

"Yes, dear. But that doesn't mean that they can't betray you. The sword stays. "

I sighed. "As long as you're happy."

"Every day that I'm your husband, I am."

I stopped flirting with Liam and turned my attention to the council. "Why did you summon me?"

One of the elder vampires stepped forward. "It's about the human girl. We tested out her blood."

He gestured forward, and a thin, black haired teenager stepped forward, twitching nervously under my gaze.

"Greeting Lady Belaire, I am Orrick. a humble vampire of just a century in age..."

The council member interrupted him impatiently. "Tell her what you felt after you drank the blood!"

"It felt..." Orrick swallowed, glancing around. "... felt like a blood bond."

My stomach dropped.

"A blond bond?"

"Her blood is special." The elder vampire spoke up, frowning. "I've never seen or heard of anything like it. Once a vampire has drunk her blood, it affects the basic instincts. The vampire feels close to the human, wanting to protect her, care for her. All other blood will lose its taste eventually. " He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems to be directly proportional to the amount of blood drunk."

_A blood that causes addiction?_

I groaned, thinking over the story in my head. It had all started with Alexander getting injured and drinking her blood out of desperation. He had almost taken too much that night. After that he had been obsessed with Chelsea, following her, protecting her, eventually causing her to agree to be in a romantic relationship with him.

 _Was this entire romance story fueled by an addicted vampire and a manipulated teenage girl?_ I felt sick. _No wonder this story ended in tragedy._

"Is there a way to reverse it?"

"Possibly. But I'm afraid that this is not the worst part, Lady Belaire."

"What is?"

The councilman gestured, and Orrick stepped back out of sight. In his place another young vampire was brought before my throne. This time, however, he was dragged in while chained.

The vampire hissed threateningly at me, thrashing against his bonds, trying to attack those around him, seemingly unfazed as the chains cut into his wrists. He mindlessly threw himself forward over and over again, only stopping when they pinned him to the ground with brute force. The vampire looked up at me, and I was startled to see his eyes were a pure black color.

Liam stepped in front, protecting me from the newcomer. "What happened to him?"

"This?" The elder vampire smiled bitterly. "This is what happened when a vampire comes into contact with blood mixed with the medication they were injecting into her. They become mindless creatures, only killing instinct remains. Even self-preservation is completely destroyed."

"A weapon against vampires." I whispered, thinking of the words the masked men had spoken:

_The Black Rose is coming, and your kind will be purified from this world._

This... was the Black Rose? A bioweapon to make vampires mindless monsters?Ones that would harm each other, and be easy prey for the hunters?

"How much medicated blood does it take to achieve this effect?"

"Just a few drops."

A silence fell over the room at these words.

Liam was shaking slightly, standing close to me as if this could shield me from the horrors we were discussing. One hand still gripped his sword tightly, the other blindly reached out, gripping my own. "Do you have any way to reverse it?"

The council members looked at each other awkwardly. "Perhaps..."

"Speak up." My voice was cold. "I will not fault you for your words."

"The blood's effect seems to be suppressed by mixing it with vampiric blood. The magical power within it seems to be the antidote." He paused again, looking even more uncomfortable. "The problem seems to be finding blood powerful enough."

Liam's grip on my hand became almost painful.

"We tried our own blood, and it was the most effective... but it wasn't enough." He looked up at me, his nervousness clear. "We need more powerful blood."

"You need my blood."

"No!" Liam snarled, picking me up and holding me in his arms, his sword still drawn, now raised, ready to fight.

I raised a hand and placed it on his cheek, forcing him to look at me. "Liam."

"No! What if it's a trap?" He backed away from the vampires. "Losing blood weakens you! What if they want to make you vulnerable..."

"This might be the only way to free my brother. To save my kind." I smiled sadly. "Would you want me to ignore them?"

"Wife..." Liam sounded like he wanted to cry. "Do you really want to? Don't let them force you into this!"

"It's just some blood. I'll be fine. You can protect me, even if I'm weak." I leaned in and kissed him.

After a brief, startled pause, Liam tightened his grip around me and deepened the kiss. His movements were fierce, colored with a sense of desperation as if he never planned to let go. As he lingered, I slowly lost track of where we were, only returning to reality when the council members started coughing awkwardly.

Liam pulled back slowly, his dark blue eyes locked on my own. "You will stay safe." He spoke quietly but assuredly, as if making a vow.

"I will."

"I'm coming with you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

_______________________

We followed the eldest council member into the basement of the castle. A half century ago my character had built an up to date laboratory there, researching ways to minimize vampire weaknesses. Liam sat down on one of the exam tables, holding me in his lap.

A vampire wearing a white coat and holding a needle and syringe approached cautiously. "Umm, Lady Belaire? I need to draw your blood now."

"You may." I extended my arm.

"... Do you have to sit on the human's lap while I do it?"

"Yes."

"Definitely."

I answered at the same time as Liam, who was staring at the poor researcher as if he were his worst enemy.

"... Very well." He quickly cleaned my arm and stuck the vein, drawing off a single syringe. While we watched along side the council member, the researcher drew up some of the blood into a pipette, adding it to a vial containing a tiny amount of black fluid.

"This is the blood mixed with medicine X."

I stared as he dripped my blood in and stoppered the vial, mixing it vigorously. "They call it the Black Rose."

"And humans say us vampires are dramatic." He shook his head, and then grinned brightly as the fluid in the vial turned a bright gold. "A full reaction! The other tests only flashed gold and then immediately turned black again! The blood must be powerful enough to suppress the medication!"

"So how do we know if it's effective?"

"Easy. Bring in Lyrin." He called out, and the previous vampire that had been poisoned before was brought in. He hissed loudly, turning his head towards the vial in the researcher's hand, his black eyes focused on it intensely.

Liam frowned. "Shouldn't we do some testing first?"

"The poison, and therefore the antidote, only works on vampires." He shook his head, opening the vial and nodding to the others to hold the poisoned vampire down. "That and poor Lyrin may not have much time. If we don't cure this quickly, who knows what long term effects this might have?" Without another word, he slowly poured the vial's contents milliliter by milliliter into the vampire's mouth. It took the entire vial before the effect was seen.

Shuddering, the black-eyed vampire fell to the ground. After a long pause his eyes fluttered open, revealing the black color draining out to reveal the normal red iris. He then sighed, and closed his eyes once more, apparently asleep.

The researcher took out a stethoscope and listened at the vampire's chest intently.

"How is he?"

"Great! No heart or lung sounds! Still a vampire!"

"..." Before I could comment, the vampire woke up.

"Where am I?" He asked in confusion.

We let out sighs of relief. _It works._

As the others took the recovering vampire out to rest, the councilman spoke up. "What should we do next, Lady Belaire?"

I stuck my arm back out. "Make more."

"No, we don't even know if we need it!" Liam shook his head.

"We'll need it." I spoke with certainty. Things were starting to come together in my mind. The multiple attempts on the heroine's life in the original story wasn't because she was in a relationship with a vampire, but the quality of her blood.

I wasn't sure how long they had known about its effect, or if they had ever stolen her blood before. The events in this life had moved forward so quickly. I had changed something, even if I wasn't sure what exactly had set this mess into motion.

It only took a few drops to turn a vampire into a mindless snarling monster. But it took a whole vial to save them. Even if I had only been in this world a short while, but I was determined to save it.

I silently pulled up the mission progress screen once more.

**81% Complete**

My blood was the solution to the problem I had been facing: how to give the male and female lead a happy ending.

I needed to break their pseudo blood bond.

"Liam. Trust me."

"With my life." He answered immediately.

"Trust me with _my own_ life."

He bit his lip, hard enough that I smelled blood. "Promise me that you won't sacrifice yourself."

"... I can't. But even if something goes wrong I promise we'll see each other in the next life. "

There was a long silence.

"I'll support you. No matter what." His arms tightened around me. "But know I won't let you die alone."

I leaned in and kissed him, tasting the blood on his lips. "Stay by my side, dear."

They drew off over a liter, enough to make medicine for the entire clan. I felt the power draining from me, and as the exhaustion grew, I leaned against Liam's shoulder for support. I felt him shudder at the movement, as if holding himself back against protesting further. We both sighed with relief once the needle was removed.

"Make two vials immediately." I commanded.

"Yes, Lady Belaire." A few minutes later, the vials were placed in my hand.

Liam stood up, still holding me. "What next?"

"Back to Alex and Chelsea. Before Selina gets tired of their nonsense and strangles them."

_______________________

We chuckled, heading back to the secure room, only to have our laughter fade into silence as we saw the door hanging open.

A thin rivulet of blood flowed out from the doorway.

Liam set me down and rushed in, drawing his sword as he moved. I followed closely behind, looking over his shoulder.

The first thing I noticed was the Chelsea and Alex were gone.

The second was that Selina was on the ground.

"SELINA!" Letting out a cry of distress, I knelt beside her as she laid on her back, her face pale. I rolled her gently, wincing as I saw a stab wound in her right flank.

Her eyes fluttered open. "I'm sorry Miss. I didn't keep Chelsea safe."

"Don't worry about that! Who did this? Did the Black Rose come back...?"

"Alex." Her voice was grim.

I was stunned. "A-alex?!!"

"He pretended to be asleep, and when Chelsea shifted and became hysterical, he took advantage of my distraction to stab me. ... Bastard."

"Selina..."

" If I'd known he was this much of a pile of excrement I would have spit in his tea much more often."

"..." I had questions about the "more often", but they weren't important. "Did Alex take Chelsea?"

"Yes..."

"I have to find them." My voice broke as I sank down with frustration. "I think... he might have gone to the Black Rose." It's what my gut was telling me. Alex was acting like a villain right now, and that's what a villain would do.

I briefly thought of the cold ancient gaze he had watched me with, the Alex that wasn't Alex, and shuddered.

"But I have no way to track him."

"Oh, I placed a tracker on the human girl." Selina held up a device that blinked slowly,

"When?"

"When she first arrived. I worried that a hormonal teenager would run away in a fit at some point and wanted to be prepared."

I took the tracker, patting the butler on her head. "Selina, you are a true cheat character, you know that?"

"Miss, I'm the one who is supposed to be delirious from blood loss and talking nonsense, not you."

_______________________

I arranged for two nearby vampires to take Selina immediately to the nearest hospital for treatment, and stared down at the tracker.

"We need to go after them."

"We shouldn't rush in." Liam spoke up solemnly. "We need to prepare, go in strong, be ready for everything. It takes time. If we're reckless now, we'll regret it later."

"Perhaps." I called up the mission progress screen.

**75% complete...**

**74% complete...**

**73% complete...**

A message popped up, the glowing blue words silently threatening.

**WARNING, IF THE HERO OR HEROINE DIES PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE MISSION, THE WORLD WILL COLLAPSE, AND THE MISSION WILL FAIL.**

"What will happen to me?" I whispered, ignoring Liam's look of concern.

There was a few moments without an answer, and then the cold words appeared before my eyes.

**DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUL.**

I slumped against Liam, my mind racing. I had always known the consequences for failure would be dire, but...

**72% complete...**

"We need to go now." I finally spoke up. "I'm out of time. If we don't save Chelsea... "

Liam looked frustrated, but nodded. "Let's gather as many vampires as we can at least. " He picked me up. "I'm staying by your side."


	18. Vampire Romance 7

We gathered the council members, and all the vampires we could call, close to 50. After quickly prepping them on the dangers of the Black Rose, and the hunters, the lab handed out vials of the antidote, and we set out.

I followed the tracker to an abandoned warehouse at the school.

"I told you high schools are no good." I whispered as we entered the grounds, staring at the dark building before us.

"One day you're going to have to explain that prejudice to me."

I gestured to the vampires behind. "Surround the building, enter on my signal." I forced Liam to set me down, and moved closer to the window. The glass was painted over, preventing me from looking inside.

I pulled up the mission progress window.

**2% complete.**

**WARNING, IF THE HERO OR HEROINE DIES PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE MISSION, THE WORLD WILL COLLAPSE, AND THE MISSION WILL FAIL.**

_I was out of time._

I turned over to Liam, kissing him briefly on the lips. "I love you."

"Wife..."

I kicked the window in, jumping down accompanied by a rain of shattered glass.

Men in dark clothes and bronze masks stood in rows, staring up at the stage in front.

On a raised platform, Chelsea was strapped, unconscious, to a table, with needles in both arms draining into urns on either side. At her side, in dark robes stood a dark haired young man, wielding a silver dagger as he smiled at my entrance.

Theodore, Liam's brother.

Before I could process this new information, Theodore spoke up. "The vampire hag has arrived!"

"Seriously? Did you guys send out a memo or something with that nickname?"

"What, were you worried that we might kill your food before you get a taste?" He placed the blade in his hand against Chelsea's neck.

"Don't kill her!" I shouted, stepping closer.

"Why not?"

"You already have her blood... she's an innocent human."

"She's consorted with vampires, which is enough to condemn her." He shrugged. "Dead or alive, it never really mattered. The Black Rose is extremely potent. All I need are a few cups of her blood to destroy all of mankind."

"What if I take her place?"

Theodore paused before throwing his head back to laugh. The creepy sound echoed around the large warehouse, seeming to surround me in the creepy sound.

"All vampires are liars and betrayers." He motioned, and two masked men dragged out a figure chained in silver. The person struggled intensely, but couldn't shake off his captors or his binds. He turned his head wildly from side to side, his gagged mouth letting out a groan as his familiar red eyes met my own.

"Alex." I whispered. "Why?"

Theodore nodded and one of the men pulled down Alex's gag.

"It was the only way, Bel." His calm eyes, his pressured, arrogant way of speaking... it could only mean one thing.

It wasn't Alex. It was the traveler who inhabited Alex's body.

I felt frustrated. "Are you trying to kill me?"

His eyes widened. "Never! But I had to finish the story, before I lost myself again."

My voice was quiet and angry. "Even if it killed Chelsea?"

"She doesn't have to be the heroine, Bel. But while she sits in that position she's the shackles around my neck." He was begging. "Please understand, I can't change the rules. I can try to fight, but the story keep correcting itself. Even if I'm clear she forces me along. I can only find my way within these rules. This was the only way."

"Shut up."

"I can't do it myself... not directly, but heroines get kidnapped all the time."

"Shut up."

"Once it's done... I'll be free from this ridiculous restraint." As he spoke, his voice grew louder, his eyes tinged with black.

**PSST!**

I sprayed him in the face, calmly repeating. "Shut. Up."

"What...?" As he paused with shock, trying to wipe the fluid from his face, I reached forward and sprayed him multiple times.

"Stop it!"

"Taste the wrath of my Brother Behavioral Modification Tool's final form: ANTIDOTE EDITION!"

He convulsed, falling silently to the ground.

Theodore watched all this with a disgusted look. "You vampires are all the same. Lying, cheating, evil to the core."

"Wow, you suck. What are you even basing that on?"

"You stole my brother from me! Forcing me to put my plans into motion much earlier than intended." His eyes were full of righteous rage. "But I needed to rescue him before you could corrupt him!"

"For the record, I'm pretty sure the corruption was mutual... and he definitely wasn't complaining at the time."

"SHUT UP!"

"Fine, don't hear the truth."

"As amusing as this is, it's time for the human traitor to die."

His hand tightened around the blade, as he prepared to cut her throat. I reached inward for the power of darkness within me, striking out with tendrils of dark magic to freeze him in place. I rushed forward at top speed, grabbing Chelsea and tossing her towards the window. Before anyone could react, I picked up the now unconscious Alex and threw him too.

Liam and a vampire caught the two main leads, and once they were safe I fired off a flare, shouting.

"ATTACK!"

_______________________

**CRASH!**

Vampires came in from every window, falling to the floor with grace.

Theodore, who had finally been released from my magic, drew his sword. "Foolish vampires, you have come here only to face your final doom!" He threw something into the air, which exploded with a loud bang and a flash of light.

**BOOM!**

A spray of liquid flew through the air, soaking all the vampires. I felt an intense blood lust try to take over, and uncorked my vial, throwing it back, seeing the other vampires do the same.

Theodore stared in shock. "Wha... what are you doing? Why isn't the Black Rose working?!!"

Liam kicked open the doors of the warehouse, smiling. "Hello, brother dear."

"What took you so long?" I looked over.

"Unlike you lovely vampires, I can't jump 3 stories height down?"

"Hmm...Good point!"

"BROTHER!" Theodore called out happily. "I'm trying to free you from this evil ha..."

**THUD!**

Liam punched his brother in the face, watching him go down with a cool expression. "That's for calling her names."

**THUD!**

He hit him again. "That's for kidnapping her friends."

**THUD!**

"That's for sending people to kill her!"

**THUD!**

"And THAT's for causing all this nonsense right after my wedding day, preventing my honeymoon with my beautiful vampire wife!"

He threw the teenager down, wiping his hands.

I touched his arm. "Are you okay?"

Liam smiled grimly. "Don't worry, he's very hard headed. He'll be just fine. But we still have the rest to deal with."

We turned around, facing a room full of hunters in bronze masks and vampires.

I spread my hands out. "Any chance we can solve this peacefully?"

One of the masked men raised a stake. "KILL THE VAMPIRE SCUM!"

"Didn't think so." Summoning a sword from dark magic, I flung myself forward into the fight.

The world turned into a confusing mess of blood, tendon and bone. I moved, faster than the eye could follow, striking and retreating, preventing myself from being surrounded. It dragged on, lasting only minutes but feeling like days, and finally there were no more enemies to strike.

The vampires, of which 30 or so were left, let out a loud cheer.

I smiled at them, feeling lightheaded. Before I could comment, two strong arms surrounded me, pulling me into my husband's arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, turning me from side to side to examine for injuries.

"I'm fine... but you're hurt.." I touched a small scratch on his neck, ignoring the hunger as a drop of his blood stained my fingertips.

"It's nothing. Let's tie up my brother and the rest of the survivors and head back..." He trailed off, staring at me. "Wife..."

"I- I'm okay." I muttered, trying to fight the darkness that was tunneling my vision. The blood loss from making the antidote and the use of dark magic had completely drained me.

"No, no, no, no." His voice was panicked, holding me tighter. "Stay awake."

I shuddered, seemingly seeing glowing words written behind his head.

**You must accept your fate.**

"No." The world faded into nothingness.

"BELAIRE!"

_______________________

**"I brought the blood!" The man before me was still unclear, his hands holding out a cup of blood to me. His voice was cheerful, excited... hopeful. "Once you're done do you want to go exploring the western forest? I heard that's there's dragons back there, but I've never bothered to check. "**

**"... I saw another dove today."**

**He paused, sitting on the bed beside me.**

**"Flying nearby?" His tone took on an awkward edge.**

**"It killed itself at my feet again. Its blood spilled out a message."**

**"..."**

**"Do you want to know what it said?"**

**"..."**

**"'You must accept your fate.'" I laughed bitterly. "I won't be allowed to escape, will I?"**

**"Bel..."**

**"This world will reject me, force me back to the higher realm. Back to _him._ "**

**"No, I..."**

**"I was a fool to think I could have a choice. " I choked back tears, no longer looking up at him.**

**I felt his hand, warm against my skin, grip my chin, gently tilting my face up until my eyes met his own.**

**"Bel." His dark blue eyes were blazing with an emotion I had never seen before. "I love you."**

**"..."**

**"I won't let him force you. No matter what the cost." He held the cup against my lips, his gaze gentle. "Now drink. Please."**

**I felt the warm blood spill down my throat.**

**_______________________  
**

My mouth was full of the taste of blood.

My eyes opened wide with shock, I pulled back my fangs, only to see the bite mark over the previous small scratch on his neck.

_I had been drinking his blood unconsciously._

I patted his overly pale cheek. "Liam?"

His dark blue eyes met my own. "Yes, wife?"

"I'm sorry... I don't know why I..."

"I do." He was overly calm. "I put your mouth against my cut, and your instincts did the rest."

"You jerk."

"I love you too, wife." He leaned against my shoulder, and I huddled against him, as we enjoyed the quiet company.

"Umm... Lady Belaire?" A vampire hesitantly spoke up. I recognized him as Orrick, the vampire from the blood test. "I know you and your husband are newly married, but can we head back to the castle? We're kind of in the middle of a bunch of corpses... in a high school. We should probably cover up the evidence."

I waved a hand. "Very well."

It was time to return home.

I helped Liam, who was still pale and tired, into bed. Smoothing back his hair with a trembling hand, I kissed his forehead.

"I'm sorry, I took too much blood."

He smiled, looking unconcerned. "It's my honor to help you."

"How about after this, neither of us get hurt for a while."

Liam reached out and hugged me, letting out a quiet sigh. "Deal. Besides, I still owe you a honeymoon."

I laughed, enjoying his embrace for a few minutes before reluctantly standing up. "I better go check on Chelsea."

"I'll miss you."

I leaned down and kissed him again. "I'll be back soon."

I left the room, feeling uncomfortable with the distance.

_Let's get this mission done as soon as possible, and get working on spending the rest of his human lifespan together._

As I thought over the logistics of my never aging physique, I ran into someone, almost falling to the ground.

"Sister."

I backed up a few steps, feeling defensive. "Alex?" I stared into his eyes intently, but didn't see the prior hysteria, or the deep obsessive look he got when the traveler possessed him.

He rubbed his hair, obviously uncomfortable with my long gaze. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused."

"Really?" I sounded skeptical.

"Really. I don't get it. Ever since I drank that human girl's blood it was like... someone took over my body. I couldn't control myself." He groaned. "I did so many stupid things."

I squinted at him. "When did things change back?"

"After you sprayed me with that golden fluid. It was very effective."

 _Looks like the antidote worked. Fortunately it seems not a lot is needed for just the normal blood effect._ I reached out and patted his head. "Go back to your room. We'll discuss the best way moving forward for vampires and humans later."

"Sounds good."

I started to walk away, but then paused.

"But one more thing:" I smiled at his confused look and held up a finger. "You have to stay away from Chelsea."

He shuddered with fear. "No problem doing that!"

"Good."

I kept walking.

_______________________

Reaching Chelsea's quarters, I saw a familiar face, polishing the silver in the outer lounge.

"Selina."

"Yes Miss?" She turned towards me with a calm expression.

"What are you doing here?"

"Protecting the hormonal teenager girl, just like you asked." She sighed. "I failed you once, since that little dung heap attacked me. But I won't fail you again."

"Selina?"

"Yes Miss?"

"You were literally just stabbed. You need to take some time off."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Just a little stab wound." She shrugged and began polishing silver again. Leaving me standing there, confused.

"... Selina?"

"Yes Miss?"

"You are... Human... right?"

She laughed. "I'm a butler."

_What the heck does that mean?!!_

Deciding to move on for my mental health, I entered Chelsea's room.

She woke up at the sound of me entering the room, sitting up in a daze.

"Belaire!" She jumped up and threw her arms around me. "You saved me!"

"It was a team effort. At least the Black Rose shouldn't bother you anymore."

"YAY!" She cheered, making me smile.

"Now. I have a question to ask you once more: Do you want to stay in the world of vampires, or return to the normal world?"

She leaned back, watching me seriously. "You know, once I thought that all I wanted in this world was to live in some mysterious world of vampires and hunters."

"What do you think now?"

"Now?" She chuckled. "I just want to live a long, healthy life. Being kidnapped once and attacked 3 or more times is more than I can take!" Reaching out to grab my hand, she continued. "I think I'll become a doctor, study hematology. Maybe one day my research can be useful to you. I'll always owe you for saving my life."

I patted her head. "No need to thank me. It's what I should have done as your friend."

She grinned at me, leaning back, content with her choice. Words popped up in front of me, hanging in the air.

" **100% complete.**

****** You have finished the mission! ******

**Stay in this world?**

**YES/NO**

I chose "Yes" with a grin. Waving goodbye to Chelsea, I headed back the way I had come.

_Now to find Liam and discuss those honeymoon plans._

________________________  
_

Liam woke up in the darkness, knowing without a doubt that he was not alone.

His eyes searched in the darkness, seeing a familiar face.

"Alex." Liam frowned, trying to sit up but feeling weak. "Why are you...?"

Alex grabbed his head roughly, his eyes blazing. "Freeze."

Liam felt his huge frame lock up. He could still move his face, his eyes gazing around the room with anger as he struggled to move his limbs without success.

Instead, he felt a sharp pain at his neck.

Alex had placed a needle through the previous bite mark, puncturing the jugular vein carefully, guiding the tubing attached to it to a black container at his feet.

He then sat down, gazing at Liam with a calm expression. "I hate you, you know."

"I guessed, with the attempt to kill me. " Liam sneered as he considered screaming for help.

Alex seemed to guess his thoughts. "Scream if you like. I blocked the sound of this room with a barrier." He sighed, leaning back. "This is so annoying! You don't even understand why I hate you!"

"You want my wife." Liam spoke up, going off his intuition.

"SHE'S NOT YOUR WIFE!" Alex snarled, losing his composure. "You took advantage of a difficult time, and stole everything from me!"

Liam felt his life fading, slowly draining from the needle into the container. His consciousness faded out, as he worried about Belaire.

Liam's eyes opened once more, and this time they were calm. "Well, nice to see your personality is still as shitty as ever."

Alex's eyes widened. "You... remember!"

"Only towards the end. I'll forget it soon enough in the next world." Liam chuckled weakly. "Still trying your pathetic tricks. She'll never love you, you know."

"Easy for you to say! You just gave her whatever she wanted, with no concern for anything else, regardless of the consequences! Of course she likes you! But have you ever thought about me? I HAD to follow the rules! You know what would happen if I broke them! I had no choice but to send her away!"

"That's all very touching." Liam's voice was not sympathetic. "But you forgot one thing:"

"What?"

"Bel... she's not your possession. Not just a tool. You could have asked her, told her the stakes. Trusted her to choose to work with you."

"I... couldn't take that chance."

"And that's why she hates you." Liam smiled coldly. "So I'd appreciate it if you left me and my wife alone from now on."

"NEVER!" Alex laughed loudly. "You're going to die. She's already chosen to stay. She'll have _centuries_ left to live by my side. All the time in the world for me to tell her the truth, bring her back to my way of thinking."

"Wow. You're so optimistic.... And also an idiot, if you think that plan would ever work. Have you even met my wife?" He wanted to laugh, but couldn't summon the energy. "She'll tear your head off and use it as a kickball."

"Shell do nothing, thinking you died from complications of her drinking too much blood. Die with despair!" Alex watched the blood flow with an increasingly satisfied expression. "It is your fate."

Liam's dark blue eyes opened wide one last time. "Screw. Fate."

His world turned into darkness.

_______________________

I headed back to the bedroom Liam was sleeping in, feeling cheerful.

 _Liam in this life is so clingy. I think it's the height difference. I should probably just resign myself to being carried everywhere._ I chuckled at the thought. _As long as it makes him happy..._

I opened the door, and the first thing I noticed was the faint scent of blood.

"Liam."

_He's not breathing._

"Liam... wake up." My hand touched his cheek, his skin was ice cold, even to my undead touch.

"Liam... it's not the time to nap, sweetie. You promised to take me on a honeymoon."

_His heart isn't beating._

I felt a deep pain in my chest, as if something essential had been ripped out and destroyed. I swayed on my feet, as if taking a blow, but unable to register the wound.

"Liam..." My voice cracked on the name. "Please..."

There was only silence. I had no idea how much time passed as I sat there next to him, holding his hand, unable to speak, unable to cry.

"Sister?" A concerned voice spoke to me from the doorway. I turned and saw Alex, his face a perfect picture of concern. "Is something wrong with your husband?"

"He...he is..." _dead. Dead. DEAD. Deaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddead...._

Alex reached out, concerned. "Was it... from your drinking too much earlier?" He covered his mouth, looking horrified. "I'm so sorry!"

I reached out a hand, caressing Liam's cold cheek, smoothing back his hair.

"I'm sorry too."

"Sister, don't blame yourself. It was an accident. It's not your fault."

I leaned forward and kissed Liam's forehead, whispering. "Wait for me."

And then looked up.

"I know it's not my fault."

He looked calm as ever. "What do you...?"

His voice choked off as my hand gripped his throat and lifted him off the ground.

"You might have fooled someone else, but you forgot that I'm blood bonded to him." I smiled fiercely, showing my fangs. "Every drop of his blood is connected to my soul."

"W-what...?"

"And you have one such drop on your nice clean shirt. It wasn't there when I ran into you in the hallway earlier."

"N-no."

"You killed him." I dragged him by the throat behind me, walking into my bedroom, near my coffin.

"Sis..."

"Don't call me that." Snapping, I threw him against the stonewall, using dark magic to hold him there. "You aren't my brother. You're something else."

His eyes cleared. "You realized it."

"All too late." I smashed a fist down on my coffin, breaking it into multiple wooden splinters. "Too late for everything."

"Wait! Don't kill me! Don't you want to know what you've forgotten?" His voice was panicked, the words pausing my actions as I stepped closer with a makeshift stake in my hand.

"Forgotten?"

"You weren't always like this, Bel. Not always traveling in these lower realms without memories. Forced into high stakes missions without rest."

"...."

"If you spare my life, I'll tell you everything you forgot. Who you are... who I am... who Liam is!"

My hand clenched on Liam's name, blood dripping down the wood and pooling onto the floor.

"You've forgotten who you are, the higher and lower realms, all of it! But I can help you remember!" He looked at me with an affectionate expression. "Trust me, I didn't want to kill him, but I had to. Everything I do is only for your own good."

I stepped closer, studying him quietly. "It's an interesting proposition." He visibly relaxed. "But you forgot one thing:"

"What?"

His eyes widened as I drove a stake through his heart.

"You killed my husband. The only thing I want is your death."

"Bel..." He tried to claw at the wooden stake in his chest, but couldn't move under my dark magic. "You don't understand what you're doing! You'll destroy everything!"

"So?"

He was having trouble speaking, but I could make out one word: "....fate."

I laughed. "Screw fate."

I summoned a blade of darkness and cut off his head. It fell to the ground with a thud, along with his body as I released it. Smiling, I walked back to Liam's bed, laying beside him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, dear." Tears finally formed, but I blinked them back. "I'll come find you now."

I changed the sword of darkness for a knife, and pointed it at my chest.

"See you soon, Liam."

Before I could push it into my heart, a blue message formed in the air in front of me.

**WARNING! YOU HAVE KILLED THE MALE LEAD! AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL FROM WORLD INITIATED....**

The world faded into nothingness. I was alone in the darkness. Bright blue letters formed once more.

**You have broken the rules.**

"Take your rules and stuff 'em where the sun don't shine."

**...**

"Now I completed the mission. Send me to the next world. I have a husband to track down."

**...**

**As punishment for your crime, your memory will be stripped in the following world. Mission difficulty will be increased.**

"What? You can't do that!" I struggled, shocked, but there was nothing to resist against. It was me, the nothingness and the words that condemned me. "No! I have to find him again."

**YOU WILL ACCEPT YOUR FATE.**

"NO!"

**No matter what.**

**_______________________**

I woke up in a bright classroom. Confused.

_Where am I?_

_Wait..._

_Who am I?_


	19. Sci Fi 1

I was in a classroom.

That was all I could figure out for the moment. I glanced around me in a daze. Bright holograms displayed equations in the front of the room. A stern appearing teacher manipulated the numbers with a silver pen as he spoke in a droning tone. The students sat in white rounded chairs, with clear desks in front of them that had similar projections to the one the teacher was lecturing on. Each student appeared about 18 or so, wearing a crisp black military uniform with silver trim. There appeared to be mostly men in the room, with a few women here and there.

Glancing down at myself, I noted a similar uniform, with a blue badge in the shape of a shield with a clearly printed “s” on it. My hands were pale, slender, with obvious calluses on the pads of my fingers. _Am I a soldier? But this seems to be a classroom…_

The desk in front of me was filled with numbers and figures I didn’t understand, but scrolling across the side was a short sentence, obviously some sort of private message.

**“You stuck up jerk! How dare you embarrass Chris like this?!”**

It was sent by someone called “Allie.” I read it, completely lost and confused.

_Why am I here? Where is this place? Who am I?_

I couldn’t remember anything. I felt a dull burn of panic. My hands tightened into fists, the short, well trimmed nails digging into my palms.

Another message scrolled down the side of the screen from “Allie”:

**“Don’t ignore me! You need to apologize to Chris! This is why everyone hates you, even if you’re an S level Guardian! You’ll always be alone!”**

_Well, whoever I am, at least I’m popular._

I raised my hand, startling the teacher in the front who paused. “Yes, Guardian Alaira?”

_Is that my name?_

I cleared my throat. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

He frowned. “Well, don’t let me stand in your way.”

“Oh you couldn’t even if you wanted to.” I spoke without thinking, ignoring the surprised whispers of the classmates around me. Getting up quickly, I followed signs until I found a restroom, closing myself in a stall to think.

_What should I do next?_

As I tried hard not to panic, I noticed the metallic blue bracelet on my wrist flashing. _Another message from that Allie person?_ I tapped the accessory, curious, and a hologram popped up in front of me, with bright blue words.

****** NEW WORLD: A GUARDIAN’S MIGHT******

_New world?_ I sighed, feeling more confused as the words distorted into random symbols, with only a small amount of readable text shown.

**%$#@ &*^!@)HJR#YUF#GF01297 ***** ERROR, PUNISHMENT MISSION INITIATED *****UWHIFDQ&*@^#%#^&@(!G@!YJ!GO^@!#@!#&@)!*$G**

******All assisting world information has been withheld. Please complete the mission guided solely by character memories. ******

“Mission?” I spoke out loud, frustrated. “What mission? What do you mean character memories?!”

**Your mission: Prevent destruction of the human race by the alien monster race known as The Hive.**

“Oh, only that? Just save the human race?” I felt a little silly being sarcastic with a bracelet, but my mood was bad enough not to care. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else while I’m at it?”

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

I stared at the cold words in front of me, fighting off a strong feeling of déjà vu. “No. I don’t accept this mission! Find someone else to save the human race!”

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

“NO!”

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

“Why is there no option to refuse?! What happens if I don’t accept?”

*** &(#@*!@GRPIF@!****Refusal option removal was requested by yourself. If the mission is refused or not completed successfully, then the agreement will be considered invalid, and your fate will be restored.******&&EG@YEO@BB65**

I didn’t understand. _What mission? Why had I requested the refusal option to be removed? Is this thing even telling the truth?_

But even though I still couldn’t remember anything, staring at the words “Your fate will be restored” I felt a strong rejection from the depths of my soul. I might not know why I was here, or what my fate was, but I knew without a doubt that I could never accept that option.

****** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION?******

I sighed, frustrated. “Yes.”

**Character memory transfer initiated.**

A horrible splitting pain struck me as my mind was overwhelmed with memories and emotions that weren’t my own. I screamed in agony, clawing at the stall door, desperate for relief but with no way to escape the pain within me. Time passed, I was unsure how long, but as I grew clearer, I realized I was leaning on the metal door, tears and cold sweat trailing down my face and soaking my collar.

“…Umm are you okay?” I heard a concerned voice outside of the toilet stall.

Brushing off the feeling of déjà vu once more, I cleared my throat and answered, my voice slightly hoarse.

“Just going through an early life crisis. ”

“…Aren’t we all.” I heard the sympathetic stranger walk away, and closed my eyes, gathering my thoughts.

__________________________

There were memories in my head that weren’t my own. They strived to take over my mind, convincing me that the memories belonged to me, but I resisted, clinging to a sense of separation from them. It helped that the content of the memories made me want to reject the idea of them being my own.

They were not happy memories.

 _Her name is… Alaira? Or is it my name?_ I gripped my head, confused. It seemed familiar, but… off. I sighed with frustration and sifted through the memories.

Alaira had not lived a happy life.

She was born in a world of interstellar travel, of advanced technology, laser weapons and large mechanized humanoid weapons known as “Mechs”.

 _Sci-fi story._ My brain supplemented, unsure of where the information was coming from.

As the human race advanced, they encountered a single intelligent alien species. Named “the Hive” by the explorers who discovered them, as they appeared like winged ants the size of humans. They traveled in colonies flying through space, guided by enormous spaceship sized “Queen” aliens. They descended on worlds, consuming all plant and animal life, stripping it bare and leaving for the next one.

The humans made a peaceful contact, but were quickly captured and consumed.

Their exoskeletons were impervious to smaller laser weapons, and their ability to multiply in enormous numbers made them a terrifying threat to the newly advanced human race. All attempts at communication were blocked, the Hive only saw them as a source of food.

Thus Mechs were created.

__________________________

I opened the door to the bathroom, moving quietly down the hallways according to the new memories in my head, towards the hanger. As I neared the doorway, I felt nervous, feeling like an imposter, but no one called out to stop me. I scanned my retina at the door, and they slid open silently, allowing me in to the enormous hanger.

The room was filled with Mechs, an awe-inspiring sight. The robots were three stories tall, each customized with different weapons and designs. I walked to the back of the hanger, where the memories told me Alaira’s Mech was stored.

It was magnificent.

Black and gold, it shined under the lights like a precious gem. A large sword was strapped to its back, small spikes lined the shoulders and helmet. It looked fierce and aggressive, and I felt a thrill of excitement at the idea of climbing into it.

As I neared the machine, the eyes glowed a bright blue, and I felt a comfortable buzz in the back of my mind. It was the Connection, the proof that I was a Guardian.

With the creation of mechs, two types of humans emerged, each with a different brainwave pattern.

First there was the Guardians, those with an alpha pattern, which allowed them to connect with mechs and drive them as easily as operating their own bodies. They were the warriors, the backbone of the defense against the Hive, the protectors of humanity. 

The stronger the alpha pattern, the faster and more responsive the Mech would be. Alaira, as an S leveled Guardian, was the strongest level seen in generations. She was destined to be a first rate warrior, just like her father, a renowned general.

But the ability to control Mechs came at a cost.

I connected with the Mech, opening and closing my hand. The robot mimicked my movements, the enormous hand making a fist in front of me. As I made it move, I felt a sense of weight settle on my mind, a draining of my mental energy.

A Guardian could control a Mech alone, but the mental strength it cost them would slowly eat away at them. The stronger the Guardian, the worse this draw would be. Eventually the burden of energy on their mind would be too much, causing collapse. A burnt out Guardian became an empty husk, an irreparable state where the brain had been destroyed.

Which is where Connectors came in.

As humans with a delta brain wave pattern, Connectors couldn’t control the Mechs. What they could do is connect to both the Guardian and the Mech, sharing the mental burden. It prevented mental decay in the Guardian, and allowed the control of the Mech to be smoother and stronger.

Each Guardian hoped to have a connector, to save them from destruction, and allow them to fight at their best, but it took more than just two random people with the right brain patterns to join.

Only a pair that resonated could control the Mech together. The stronger the pattern, the harder to find a resonating partner.

Alaira was the strongest Guardian, but she couldn’t find a Connector, forcing her to bear the burden of a Mech alone.

Or at least… she couldn’t find a Connector willing to pair with her.

__________________________

I sighed, releasing the Mech back to its sleep-like state, rubbing my temples where a dull headache had started.

_How am I supposed to fulfill my mission of saving humanity if driving a Mech will slowly destroy my mind?_

As I mulled this over, I mentally prepared to return to class, only to be interrupted my the sound of my new name.

“Alaira!” A quiet voice called out. I turned, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt, a cold sweat breaking out in my back. I forced a normal smile on my face.

“Wen.” I recognized the petite girl in torn overalls covered in grease, as a young engineering student who helped maintain the Mechs. “Something wrong?”

Wen hesitated, obviously uncomfortable, but seemed to come to a silent decision and spoke up. “Why did you have to embarrass Chris like that?”

It was the same “Chris” that Allie had been sending me angry messages about in class. I frowned, thinking of the memory from the previous day.

It was confusing, obviously today was the start of her second year in military academy, but the memories in my head went long past that time to graduation.

_All the way to the fight with the Hive that destroyed Alaira’s mind and took her life._

But I quickly thought of the event that the girls were referencing. At the start of the year, there were a series of mock battles in Mechs. Alaira had come first, defeating not only those in her year but even the few challengers from the year above.

Chris, a D level guardian in her year, had challenged her confidently. Alaira hadn’t wanted to accept, given the power difference, but after he insisted, she agreed.The result was what could be expected:

It was a pathetic fight.

Alaira had defeated Chris within 30 seconds, forcing him to surrender without taking any damage herself.

“Chris is the one that challenged me. Was I supposed to let him win?” I frowned at the young teenage girl, feeling tired.

“You didn’t have to humiliate him like that! You never even let him get a chance to fight back!“ Wen glared at me.

“This isn’t a game, Wen. We’re training to go to war.” I sighed. “Would the Hive give him a chance like that? I wouldn’t be doing him any favors if I went easy on him. I would only give him false confidence that could get him killed.”

“You just don’t understand!” Wen was crying. I felt a weariness within my soul at the sight.

 _Heroine._ I wasn’t sure why I thought this, but it seemed to fit well in my mind.

“You’re right, I don’t.”

“This is why he hates you!” At her bitter words, I surprisingly felt a severe sharp pain in my chest. It was an emotion that wasn’t my own, but belonging to Alaira.

I could care less if this “Chris” liked me or not, but obviously Alaira cared a great deal.

I turned away, rubbing my chest idly as if that could soothe the intense pain. “If me not cheating and letting him win makes him hate me, then Chris is not worth liking.”

I walked away, leaving the shocked girl behind me.

 _Chris._ I was curious to meet him.

__________________________

I returned to class, finishing it without event. Fortunately Alaira had been a good student, and the knowledge of not only this class but the classes in the years ahead were well stored in my mind. I idly filled out the homework on the screen during class, completing the resonance equations with reassuring ease. Multiple messages criticizing my treatment of Chris displayed on the side o fmy screen, not only from Allie who had sent them previously, but several other girls as well.

 _How many girls does this one man have defending him?_ I scrolled through the messages, slightly impressed at the variety of insults I was being called.

_Points for originality I guess, although for unclear motives. I beat the guy in an official match, and they’re all acting like I shot his dog. How fragile is his self-esteem?_

I put the beaten man-child with the army of female defenders to the back of my mind, finishing up my homework, reaching the end of class with a relieved sigh. I wasn’t sure about anything in my original memories, but I knew one thing without a doubt.

I absolutely hated being in school again.

 _Again?_ I questioned myself silently, but my mind refused to give way, keeping everything I wanted to know locked up securely.

__________________________

As I left class, my wrist communicator went off. It was Alaira’s father, General Gladus. I found an empty classroom and sat down. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I answered it.

 _It’s okay._ _You have all the memories of his daughter, he shouldn’t notice too much._

A handsome middle-aged man in a military uniform appeared as a hologram before me. “Congrats sweetie! I heard you took first place in the mock battles yesterday!”

_At least someone’s not going to gripe at me for embarrassing Chris._

I smiled. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll keep working hard to make you proud.”

“I’m already proud.” He shook his head slowly. “Any word on a resonance match?”

His hopeful tone made me feel guilty. Her father knew better than most the burden of being an unmatched Guardian, having spent 5 years fighting before finding a Connector. He still had headaches as a result of this, and had to take medication to prevent seizures. It had been his greatest fear that his daughter, an even stronger Guardian than him, might never find a partner.

“Nothing so far.” I answered, staring down at my hands.

“What about that boy Chris?”

I winced at the name. _How many times will he be brought up today?_ “He wants to be a Guardian. He refuses to be my Connector. “

The general snorted disdainfully. “He’s only a level D Guardian, you can find that anywhere. But his delta wave is an A level, and he can match you, an S level Guardian! How is the school allowing this?!”

I could hear the frustration in his voice, but I could only smile bitterly, fighting off another wave of pain, courtesy of Alaira’s remnant emotions.

“Do you want me to make a call?”

“You can’t force someone to match with me, Dad.” I tried to comfort him. “I’ll go by the match center again and see if there are any new applicants.”

He looked mildly surprised. “Are you sure? I thought you told me you wouldn’t go back?”

I thought over Alaira’s memories, standing in the center without a match, being mocked until she felt too embarrassed to return.

_Still not as bad as getting my mind burned out in the middle of a fight and dying._

“I’m sure.” I answered with a definitive tone.

“I’m so happy to hear that, dearest.” He grinned. “You let me know if anyone gives you trouble. I’ll beat them up!”

I felt a deep sadness. The original Alaira had loved her father deeply, only wanting to make him proud. She had hidden how fast her mental decay had progressed, hoping to win military achievements, only to fail in a large battle on graduation day, dying in action and leaving him behind.

 _I won’t fail him. Or you._ I said silently to the memories, feeling the pain slowly recede. 

__________________________

Saying goodbye to Alaira’s father, I moved towards the match center, mentally preparing to re-apply.

“Alaira!” A male voice called out.

I turned, seeing a tall blond young man that I easily recognized from my memories.

“What, did you finally run out of girls to send to cry at me and come to scold me in person?” I raised an eyebrow, and smiled mockingly. “Or are you here to ask me to go easier on you next time so that you can preserve your ego better?”

He frowned at my words. “I didn’t send anyone to scold you, and I don’t plan to do so myself.” His light green eyes shone with a determined light. “I don’t need it. I’m going to get stronger and beat you in a fair fight. Just you wait!”

I stared at the enthusiastic young man and fought the urge to sigh.

_Male lead._

The title bubbled up from my subconscious, fitting him perfectly.

Chris. A young man who seemed to shine brighter than anyone else. He was a dual wave type, carrying both the alpha wave of a Guardian and a delta wave of a Connector. However, despite his natural abilities as a Guardian being much weaker, he refused to be a Connector, practicing day and night to be a better Guardian.

Alaira had watched him stay late night after night, practicing, working hard. She had slowly begun to respect him, and as the years in the academy went by, that respect seemed to develop into something more. She watched at the sidelines as he developed multiple relationships with other girls: a beautiful Connector, a cute engineer, a shy pilot. Each one he treated with care and tenderness, and the girls seemed more than happy to compete with each other for his affection.

Alaira on the other hand, despite her feelings, couldn’t even ask for that much.

She had a 68% resonance match with Chris as a Connector. Anything over 50% was enough to help prevent mental decay. Once the matching result was found, Chris had faced enormous pressure to give up being a Guardian and pair up with Alaira. After all, an S level guardian is a precious resource, and the school wanted to preserve it.

Chris saw her as an obstacle to his dream of being a warrior. Despite the fact that the young woman had never tried to force him to be her Connector, he constantly isolated her, competed against her, and encouraged those around him to humiliate her when he lost in fights with her. Alaira had tried to be understanding, tried to be patient, but all she had ever received in response to her attempts at friendship was scorn.

“So don’t even think of trying to force me to pair with you, Alaira, even if you did beat me in a fight! You just caught me unawares last time. I’ll work even harder and next time, I’ll show you! I’m going to be ten times the Guardian you ever will be!” He sneered. “So don’t come crying to me about not having a Connector anymore. It’s pathetic.”

My chest hurt again. _This girl really liked him, didn’t she?_

“Do you hear me, Alaira?”

_Fortunately, even if I don’t have my memories, I do know one thing:_

“Hey!”

_I’m not like her._

I laughed, loudly. It sounded slightly villainous, but was strangely comfortable.

“What are you…?”

“Oh shut up, you worthless piece of human garbage!” I interrupted, rolling my eyes. “You could be ten times the Guardian you are right now, and you STILL wouldn’t be able to beat me in a fight. ‘Caught you unawares’?” I made quotation marks with my fingers, laughing again. “That’s cute. Next time I’ll tell you every move I make before I do it.”

“You…!”

I grinned. “Oh don’t worry, I don’t mind. Even if I gave you every possible advantage I can still beat you with my eyes closed.”

“Don’t be so arrogant!” Chris’s face was red with rage.

“You want to see arrogant? I haven’t even warmed up yet, you mediocre crybaby.” I spread my hands. “Don’t pretend that the tens of messages and confrontations I’ve had all day with your little fan girls have nothing to do with you. You can’t spur them on, and then pretend to be innocent. Even an idiot could see through your excuses, much less me, who is much smarter than you.”

I paused, enjoying his tormented expression. “Oh, and by the way, I don’t want you to be my Connector. We may have a resonance match, but I would have to trust you enough to let you into my mind.” Shaking my head, I continued. “I wouldn’t trust you to be able to fight your way out of an open paper bag, much less form an intricate connection between myself and a massive killing machine.”

“No, you’re lying!” Chris was shocked. “I’m your only chance at not being destroyed by mental decay!”

“Oh, so you actually admit that now? How funny. But guess what?” I leaned closer, whispering. “I’d rather have my mind destroyed than let you into it.”

“You… you…”

“Have a good day, Guardian Chris. And good luck with the next match.” I walked passed him. “Even with good luck, you’ll still lose, so take all of it that you want.”

I left him behind with another villainous laugh, feeling satisfied. The leftover emotions from Alaira were boiling within me, and complicated.

It was true that she had admired Chris, liked him, and hoped he would like her back.

_But I had memories of her story all the way to the end._

Right before graduation she had come to him, begging. Her mind was corroding, much faster than anyone had ever calculated. It was possible that her powers were even greater than level S, but just couldn’t be measured. Tortured as her mental powers broke apart, knowing she had no options, she had gone to Chris to beg.

She had told him the truth, and asked him to help her.

“What does that have to do with me?” He had stared at her coldly, as a stranger, rather than a girl who had dedicated time to help him train, provided him with resources, treated him as a friend.

She had left, feeling defeated. At this point she was nearly delusional, her mind cracking, and it never even occurred to her to not participate in the final exam at graduation, where the student troops joined a real battle alongside the military. She couldn’t truly comprehend that she was going to her death, even as she felt the despair and helplessness of not being able to change her situation.

But Chris knew.

Even if he continued to refuse to be her connector, he had seen the state that Alaira was in. He saw that one more fight would destroy her.

But he had told no one. No other students, no teachers, not even the military leaders as they came to inspect the Guardian teams before the fight.

He had even volunteered her to be the lead in the attack, a position of honor, but the one with the most mental strain.

Alaira hadn’t seen it, but I could. My mind wasn’t fractured, nor was it clouded by feelings of affection.

He had wanted her to be destroyed.

I didn’t know what happened in the battle after her death, but given that her mission was to “save humanity from destruction” I guessed things hadn’t gone well.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to prevent the mental decay. But I knew one thing for absolute certain:

I wasn’t about to trust Chris.

__________________________

I headed for the Match Center.

Outside the door to the center, I hesitated, feeling Alaira’s sense of shame and resistance. She had been here countless times during her first year in military academy, and other than the match with Chris, had always come up empty. Compared to Guardians who could choose from dozens of candidates, she had felt pathetic and alone.

_Oh well, I’ve been through worse… at least, I’m pretty sure I have._

As I prepared to walk through, I heard a commotion behind me, and turned around to walk.

“Hurry, get out of the way, Prince William is coming!” A girl whispered to her companion, pulling her to the side of the hallway.

_Prince William?_

Human society had a monarchy as part of the government, I knew from Alaira’s memories. Although more of a figurehead than a true controlling branch of government, the people still greatly respected and cared for the royal family.

_So why is there no memory of a Prince William? Was there a problem with Alaira’s memories?_

Curious, I turned around and watched as a young man walked down the hallway alone.

The first thing I noticed was his expression. It was cold, detatched, as if he had nothing to do with anyone or anything around him. He was tall and thin, with short, neatly trimmed black hair and dark blue eyes that stared ahead without focusing on any particular person around him. His features were handsome, even more so than Chris who was considered the best looking student in our year. His pace was even, and he moved down the hallway without pause or hurry.

Everyone around him moved at least 3 feet away as he walked past. At first I thought it was out of fear or respect, but quickly realized that he was projecting a mental shield around him. The purpose would normally be to protect him from physical attacks, but in this context pushed anyone who tried to be close to him away. I saw one girl try to move closer with a flirtatious smile, only to bounce off his shield and land on her butt, groaning.

 _How powerful is his mental strength?_ Searching through Alaira’s memories, I found that only A level or higher Connectors and Guardians could have this skill, and usually after years of practice. Alaira had practiced the skill before graduation, but the mental decay had grown too strong before she had succeeded.

As he stepped closer, I didn’t move out of the way, mildly curious as to what it would feel like to be pushed by the barrier. As far as I could tell, I would just hit the edge of it, with no danger of actually standing in his way.

 _If I’m standing still, will it just push me back like those in the hallway, or will I bounce off like the girl who is still pouting on the floor?_ I watched as he moved towards me, bracing myself…

Only to lose my balance as he walked next to me, and there was no barrier for me to bounce off of.

 _What the…_ _Why didn’t I hit the barrier?_

I tilted off balance as I had been compensating for the anticipated hit, and fell towards the floor.

 _How embarrassing, I didn’t even get hit by the shield and I’m gonna fall flat on my face. At least the other girl landed on her butt!_ I put my hands up to catch myself and protect my face from the floor…

But was caught in a strong grasp and placed back on my feet.

I blinked, shocked, as I looked at the indifferent appearing prince who had set me upright. He met my gaze expressionlessly, and I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or not.

“Umm… Thanks, for catching me.”

“…” He shook his head silently.

_What does that mean? I don’t need to thank him? He’s annoyed that I fell in front of him? That I shouldn’t be near him to begin with?_

Confused, I stepped away, noting that everyone else was still at least 3 feet away from the prince. But as far as I could tell, there wasn’t a shield up. At least not one that I could feel. 

“Well… have a nice day.” I winced at the awkward tone but turned towards the Matching Center, hoping to escape.

“… You’re looking for a match?” A low voice spoke up in a pleasant tone.

I froze in my tracks, and turned back towards Prince William who was staring at me silently. “Yeah.” I finally answered.

There was a long pause. “You’re a second year student.” 

It was said as a statement, but I heard the implied question within it. Most students found their match within the first year.

I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s been a little tough to find a good match, but I’ll keep trying.” I grinned at him. “After all, I’m hoping to avoid my brain being destroyed.”

“… hmm.” He made a noncommittal noise, which I couldn’t make any sense of.

“Well… then… I’m gonna go…” I felt even more awkward at his staring, and stepped backwards towards the Match Center.

_It must be my imagination, but why do I get the feeling that he’s… upset… that I’m trying to match in the center?_

He didn’t try to stop me again, however, and I rushed into the center.

__________________________

A girl stared at me in shock as I entered, turning off her wristband which was showing a hologram video of my conversation with Prince William. _Did someone record it?_ “You… he actually spoke to you?”

“Does he not normally talk?” I couldn’t help but ask. _Why doesn’t Alaira have memories of him?! This is so inconvenient!_

“No! He never talks! He stays away from everyone, you can’t even stand close to him normally.” The girl looked at me enviously. “How’d you get him to talk to you?”

“…I honestly have no idea.”

Since she had no answer to that, I ended the conversation, going into the Match room, and placing my hands on the panel. The machine lit up, and a robotic voice spoke.

“Welcome, Guardian Alaira, level S. Please activate your mental energy, and a match will be located.”

 _Here’s hoping._ I activated my mental energy as instructed, feeling it flow into the machine in front of me.

…

…

After a very long pause the voice spoke up once more.

“No Match Available.”

I sighed with disappointment. _I was hoping that there would be a match among the freshman that just came in. Alaira didn’t check until much later in the year, after most people would have already matched. Well, she WAS hoping that Chris would change his mind._

 _I guess that would be too easy._ I noticed that as the machine had been searching, a crowd had formed in the Match Room behind me. As the announcement went out, whispers started up.

“What a big surprise, the loner Guardian is still alone!”

“How pathetic, she’s even trying to recruit from the freshman, no one from our class would want her.”

“It’s what she deserves, for embarrassing Chris like that!”

_Seriously, how many supporters does this guy have?! This is getting ridiculous!_

Ignoring the laughs and increasingly loud mocking comments, I left the match area.

__________________________

I went back to my dorm, laying down on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

_So… I don’t know who I am, but I’m stuck in this world until I can save humanity from a super powerful alien race attack… and the only weapon I have will corrode my mind over time as I use it. Just. Great._

I sighed, massaging my temples.

_Even worse, I have to go back to school in the morning._

_…_

_I miss him._

The thought came up suddenly, accompanied by silent tears that soaked the pillow underneath my head, but I couldn’t even remember who I was missing or why.

It took a long time for me to fall asleep, feeling tired and alone.


End file.
